The Vishnu Deo Sai-led government in Chhattisgarh announced several key Cabinet decisions on Monday (October 28), including doubling the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the state’s 3-tier panchayats and urban local bodies from 25% to 50%, implementing a new industrial policy, and resuming the free pilgrimage scheme.

The Cabinet, following a meeting on Monday, approved increasing OBC reservations, with the caveat that it would not exceed the OBC population proportion within each local body.

The move comes ahead of the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections next year. Chief Minister Sai called the move as a “historic step” toward promoting social harmony and justice, The Indian Express reported.

However, he clarified that in areas where the combined reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) already reach 50% or more, the new OBC quota would not apply. This reservation adjustment will extend to state-level reserved roles like district panchayat chairpersons, municipal corporation mayors, and municipality chairpersons.

“Our goal is to provide equal opportunities to every section of society. This decision will increase representation for the OBC community and bring their contribution into the mainstream of development,” the newspaper quoted Sai as saying.

In addition, the Cabinet approved the New Industrial Policy for 2024–2030, effective from November 1, 2024, through March 31, 2030.

The Chief Minister also outlined plans for developing Nava Raipur, the new state capital set to replace Raipur.

Alongside this, he announced the reinstatement of the Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana, which aims to provide free religious pilgrimages for senior citizens, differently-abled individuals, widows, and abandoned women to religious sites outside Chhattisgarh.