Raipur, February 24 Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday hailed the state budget as a statement of intent for the future of the people and a foundational step towards achieving the vision of "Developed Chhattisgarh 2047".
The opposition Congress dubbed it a "ChatGPT budget" devoid of wisdom and expertise.
Finance Minister OP Choudhary presented the annual budget of Rs 1,72,000 crore for the financial year 2026-27 in the assembly.
Describing the budget as transformative, Sai said, "With record investments in agriculture, infrastructure, women's empowerment, and industrial expansion, we are building the structural strength required for sustained double-digit growth."
He said the government's focus is firmly on inclusive development to ensure that Bastar, Surguja, and every other village actively participate in and benefit from this transformation.
"The budget is anchored in the SANKALP framework – Inclusive Development, Infrastructure, Investment, Skilled Human Resources, Antyodaya, Livelihood, and Policy to Performance – with a strong emphasis on last-mile delivery and targeted development of tribal regions such as Bastar and Surguja," Sai said.
He said the renewed thrust on the Bastar and Surguja regions was a key highlight of the budget.
Sai pointed to significant allocations for agriculture, healthcare, industry, and youth development, aimed at accelerating Chhattisgarh's journey towards becoming a developed state by 2047.
"Our government believes in working in a mission mode. To achieve this, we have created five Chief Minister Missions. Through these, Chhattisgarh's development will gain a new direction, sharper focus, and greater speed. I congratulate the people of the state on this remarkable budget," Sai added.
Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched a sharp attack, branding the financial plan as a "ChatGPT budget."
"After bringing the state to a difficult situation through his ignorance, the speech he delivered today... reading out poetic lines often seen written behind trucks kept reminding the public that only Congress is a viable alternative.
"It appears this budget was written by ChatGPT, relying only on artificial intelligence. Neither the wisdom of the government nor the seriousness of its officials is visible in it. Ultimately, nothing stands above the wisdom of the people," he wrote on X.
Baghel compared the budgetary announcements to repeatedly promising to fly a kite in stages without actually flying it, alleging that the government was making hollow declarations year after year.
Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant said the government had woven a web of heavy words in the budget but failed to present a concrete roadmap for progress.
Mahant alleged that new schemes had been introduced merely to facilitate corruption and asserted that the budget offered nothing substantial for unemployed youth.
He also said that employees who have been on strike over their demands were ignored in the financial proposals.
