Raman Singh Becomes First BJP Chief Minister To Complete 5,000 Days In Office

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has completed an uninterrupted 5,000 days in the Naxal-hit state, riding on welfare schemes and infrastructural development. He is the first Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to head the government for 5,000 days without interruption.

Since Chhattisgarh’s creation in 2000, two people have served as the state's chief minister. The first was the Congress party's Ajit Jogi, who served for three years from 2000 to 2003. After Jogi's departure, since 7 December 2003, Singh has been the incumbent Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. Singh’s Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik is the only one ahead of him.

“I want the BJP government in place; no matter who will be the chief minister,” Singh said after flagging off a 5,000-metre-long marathon in the capital city Raipur to mark the milestone.

“At the time of formation of the state (in November 2000), the state budget was just Rs 7 crore and today it has increased to Rs 80,000 crore,” he said, adding that the gross state domestic product (GSDP) has increased from Rs 47,000 crore to Rs 2,50,000 crore,” Singh said in his address to the people of the state.

According to the Business Standard, the per capita income in the state has increased from Rs 12,000 to Rs 82,000. The power production had increased from 4,732 megawatt (MW) to 22,764 MW during the period while the transmission lines have extended from 5,205 circuit kilometres (km) to 11,522 circuit km.