Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav turned up in a rather unusual avatar in Seoni district on July 1. He stepped into a paddy field himself, planted saplings with his own hands, sat down with farmers to share a meal, and chatted with them without any formality. The gesture struck a chord with farmers and villagers, who came away visibly delighted after speaking with him. It was, once again, the Chief Minister's way of showing that he remains one among the common people and stays focused on public welfare.
Seoni gets a Rs 349.33 crore package
On July 1, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav effectively opened the coffers for Seoni district. He attended a Dhan Mahotsav, or paddy festival, organised in the district, distributed the Kodo Kutki bonus and handed out a raft of development works. At the event, CM Yadav inaugurated 586 development works worth Rs 349.33 crore and performed the foundation laying, or bhoomi pujan, for 43 more works worth Rs 144.8 crore. He also toured an exhibition set up at the venue and took part in a Kanya Pujan ceremony. Alongside this, the Chief Minister announced the construction of a four lane road from Balaghat to Seoni, a government college and a stadium in Seoni's Chamara development block, and several other development works.
Big relief for Kodo Kutki farmers
Dr Yadav said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madhya Pradesh's paddy crop has received a GI tag. He said that under the Rani Durgavati Shri Anna Protsahan Yojana, 3,941 farmers in the state were given Rs 282.99 crore as a Kodo Kutki bonus, calculated at the rate of Rs 1,000 per unit. The state government, he said, is giving Shri Anna growing farmers a bonus over and above the minimum support price. He noted that for the first time in the state, a government level campaign has been launched to procure Kodo Kutki. He added that 3,941 farmers were handed Rs 2,083 lakh in bonus money, at the rate of Rs 1,000 per unit, for 2,829 metric tonnes of Kodo Kutki. Work is also underway on branding, packaging and marketing of Kodo Kutki in the state. Dindori's Sitahi Kutki, Nagdaman Kutki and Baigani Arhar have also received GI tags.
The Chief Minister said that Kodo Kutki, jowar, bajra and makka were once dismissed as crops of the poor, but Prime Minister Modi's Shri Anna Protsahan Yojana has given them a new standing in India and abroad. According to him, the nutrients in Shri Anna are among the fastest to digest. The state government began procuring Shri Anna only from last year. He cautioned that an El Nino effect is visible on this year's monsoon, and if rainfall falls short, farmers should be prepared to ready Kodo Kutki along with all their other crops.
Sambal 2.0 brings relief to worker families
At the event, Rs 365 crore in ex gratia assistance was transferred with a single click, directly into the accounts of 16,754 worker families across the state, under the Mukhyamantri Jankalyan, or Sambal, 2.0 Yojana, routed through the Panchayat and Rural Development department. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that opposition governments never even named a scheme like Sambal for the poor and needy. He explained that under the Sambal Yojana, the government provides Rs 4 lakh in case of accidental death, Rs 2 lakh for a normal death, and Rs 1 lakh in case of disability. Worker families are also getting free treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
Welfare for every section of the poor, and a Bhavantar promise for paddy growers
The Chief Minister said the state government is working for the welfare of the poor, the deprived and those at the very last rung of society across every section. A survey is currently underway to provide housing to all eligible people who have so far been left out of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. He reiterated that 586 development works worth Rs 349.33 crore were inaugurated and 43 works worth Rs 144.8 crore had their foundation laid for the overall development of Seoni district.
Mohan Yadav said the state government, during the Kisan Kalyan Varsh, is extending the benefit of several welfare schemes to farmers. Soybean growing farmers have also been given benefits through the Bhavantar Yojana. He announced that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the Bhavantar Yojana will now be extended to the paddy crop in the state as well, under which the state government will pay paddy farmers the difference between the minimum support price and the market price. He said the state government is continuously working on value addition at every stage, from the farm to the market, so that farmers get a better price for their produce.
