In November 2000, a part of Madhya Pradesh was carved out to create the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh. Back then, it had the air of a dusty province, almost cut off from the rest of the country, despite its phenomenal wealth of forests and minerals. The Chhattisgarh Road Development Corporation was set up in 2014. Work on the National Highway development was fast-tracked, for which a total amount of Rs 9,070.02 crore was awarded. In 2024, the Centre approved a further Rs 11,000 crore for strengthening road networks.

When big money brings progress to a neglected, backward region, corruption too sneaks in. Rumours of corrupt practices in construction activities in the state followed on the heels of the development work. The recent suspicious death of Mukesh Chandrakar, a young freelance journalist, is a grim reminder of the vulnerability of reporters in small towns and rural areas. Chandrakar was a known name among journalists in the region, and had, in the past, contributed investigative reports to major TV channels. More recently, he ran a YouTube channel called

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