Raipur diary

Historical Jawahar Market gets Rs 24-cr makeover
Jawahar Bazar in the heart of Raipur has received a Rs 24 crore makeover. The market on Malviya Road dates back to the pre-independence era. The historical market has been renovated by the Raipur Smart City Ltd. The inside of the structure was dismantled, while the main entrance gate was retained. The contemporary three-storey Bazar is now a parking-cum-commercial premise, housing 147 shops. During the British era, Jawahar Bazar was the preferred haunt of political emissaries, landlords, and other dignitaries. 

FICCI partners with SAP-India to uplift MSMEs
With an aim to paving the path for Indian Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to access global markets, FICCI has partnered with SAP-India (Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing) to widen the scope of the Global Bharat Programme. With this, FICCI makes available digital technologies to MSMEs to help them transact globally. “We need to adopt and rely on technology to stay relevant. Amid unprecedented times of pandemic, the Global Bharat Programme will help MSMEs gain a solid footing to transform themselves digitally,” affirmed Pradeep Tandon, Chairman FICCI state council. About 80 per cent of SAP’s customers in India are from MSME sector.

State aims to procure Nagarnar Steel Plant
By adopting a resolution in the legislative assembly, the state government has made clear its intention to buy the National Mineral Development Corporation’s Nagarnar integrated steel plant in Bastar region if the Centre goes ahead with its disinvestment plan. The opposition BJP too agreed to it. “We will not allow its transfer into private hands. Local tribals parted with their land for this public sector unit hoping that it will generate employment for them. They have been antagonised after learning that the plant is going to be privatized,”  Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said. 

Surrendered Maoists to pen patriotic lyrics
Maoist rebels belonging to Chetna Natya Mandli (CNM) – a cultural outfit tasked with propagating revolutionary songs – will now write and sing patriotic songs in the regional Gondi dialect. After surrendering before the Dantewada district police chief Abhishek Pallava, they pledged to use their influence to expose the hollow ideology of the Maoists. They vowed to become a votary of development in the conflict-hit Bastar. “These ex-CNM members with their change of mind and heart will counter the Maoist propaganda. We will soon have their regular concerts in the naxal-affected villages,” Pallava said.

Ejaz Kaiser
Our correspondent in Chhattisgarh ejaz@newindianexpress.com