Following the instructions of Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai, the Collector tightened his belt and set a deadline to complete the work within a month.

Raipur, May 7, 2026 / The administration has taken a major initiative to address the severe drinking water crisis in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district. On the instructions of Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai, 113 new hand pumps and borewells are being installed in Pahari Korwa (a particularly vulnerable tribal group) settlements and remote forest areas. Providing safe drinking water near homes to villagers living in remote hilly areas and reducing their dependence on traditional, distant water sources remains

a top priority for the government. People living in remote forest areas should not be deprived of basic amenities, and ensuring that the benefits of welfare schemes, especially essential services, reach the last person remains a top priority.

The result of the Chief Minister's sensitivity

Recently, during his visit to Surguja, Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai took the drinking water problem seriously and directed the District Collector to take immediate and effective action. The Chief Minister's clear instructions were that villagers living in the forest region should not be deprived of basic amenities.

The collector gave a one-month deadline.

In compliance with the Chief Minister's directives, Surguja Collector and DMF (CDF) Chairman Mr. Ajit Vasant has activated the administrative machinery. He has issued strict instructions to the concerned departments and District Panchayat CEOs to complete all 113 hand pumps and borewell excavations within one month.

Where and how many hand pumps will be installed?

The on-site survey for these works, approved under the District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMIT), has been completed. Using funds from the District Mineral Fund, the work will be carried out in various development blocks, including 34 new hand pumps in Lundra, six in Batauli, 22 in Lakhanpur, 11 in Ambikapur, 16 in Sitapur, 20 in Mainpat, and four in Udaipur.

Approval received at a high-level meeting

Tourism Minister Mr. Rajesh Agrawal and Lundra MLA Mr. Prabodh Minj, along with other members, approved this work as a priority at the District Mineral Foundation Trust's Governing Council meeting held on April 24. This initiative will free thousands of residents of hundreds of villages in the district, especially hill Korwa families, from their dependence on traditional wells and distant water sources, providing them with access to clean drinking water near their homes.