Bastar, Sept 23: Chattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today sought a Rs 1435 crore special financial package for all round development of the newly carved state. Speaking at a function after Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani laid the foundation stone of a steel plant at Nagarnar, the Chief Minister said such a special package was needed to bring the people of this state, which was full of rich natural resources, to the level of mainstream. Jogi also demanded a new rail line from Raipur to Bastar.

Recalling President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's vision to turn the next century into India's century and make it a developed nation by 2020, Advani said that the NDA government came to power with the constructive mandate of the people.

Advani hoped that he along with Railway Minister Nitish Kumar would visit the state to inaugurate the new rail line as sought by the Chief Minister. The Romelt Technology based pig iron project promoted by national mineral development corporation is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore through a technical collaboration with Russian Mosco Institute of Steel and Alloys.

The project would seek to extract iron from iron ore slimes and would promote industrial development in the backward region of Bastar.

Planned with an initial capacity of three lakh tonnes, the project would eventually be expanded to 15 lakh tonnes. Bureau Report