Rs 2,480 Crore Approved for Holistic Development and Infrastructure Expansion

The Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Dr. Mohan Yadav was held at the Secretariat on Tuesday. The Cabinet approved financial sanctions amounting to nearly Rs 2,480 crore to accelerate the state’s holistic development, expansion of infrastructure and public welfare. Several key decisions relating to sports, irrigation, women empowerment, information technology and farmer welfare were approved during the meeting.

Among the major decisions, the Cabinet granted in-principle approval of Rs 18.74 crore for hosting the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 in Bhopal in October 2026, which is expected to enhance the state’s sports infrastructure and promote tourism at the global level.

To strengthen the agriculture sector, the Cabinet approved the continuation of the Rihand and Malhargarh irrigation projects as well as the bonus payment scheme for farmers procuring crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

With the objective of making Madhya Pradesh a technology leader, Rs 857 crore was approved for establishing a Drone Technology-based Centre of Excellence at IISER Bhopal and for the development of IT Parks. A key decision was the continuation of the IT Park scheme until 2031, which is expected to generate employment for around 8,000 youth.

The Cabinet also approved Rs 198 crore for women’s empowerment under Mission Shakti, Rs 982 crore for employee welfare and pension schemes, establishment of a new Electrical Safety Inspectorate Circle Office in Gwalior, and creation of nine new judicial posts in Narayangarh.

In-Principle Approval of Rs 18.74 Crore for Hosting Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 in Bhopal

The Cabinet accorded in-principle approval for an estimated expenditure of Rs 18.74 crore for organising the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 at the International Sports Complex, Barkheda Nathu, Bhopal, in October 2026.

Hockey India has been authorised by the International Hockey Federation to govern, promote and organise international and national hockey tournaments in the country. The championship has been held every two years since 2010 and aims to showcase the talent of Asia’s leading women’s hockey teams on the global stage.

The tournament is expected to feature around 200 players and support staff from six leading Asian teams, namely India, China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand.

The international event will be jointly organised by Hockey India and the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare. As per the agreement, the Department will provide Rs 11 crore to Hockey India towards the Presenting Partner rights, while Rs 7.74 crore will be spent on other organisational arrangements, taking the total estimated expenditure to Rs 18.74 crore.

The International Sports Complex at Barkheda Nathu has been upgraded with modern facilities to host international sporting events. Hosting the championship will showcase Madhya Pradesh’s sports infrastructure globally, boost the morale of the state’s hockey players, and promote tourism through the arrival of teams from leading Asian nations.

Rs 111 Crore Approved for Operation of Rihand Micro Irrigation Project

The Cabinet approved Rs 111.04 crore for the continued operation of the Rihand Micro Irrigation Project in Singrauli during the 16th Finance Commission period, from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.

The primary objective of the project is to lift stored water from the Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar Reservoir on the Rihand River and provide irrigation through a micro-irrigation system to 38,000 hectares of agricultural land across 119 villages in the Singrauli, Mada, Waidhan and Javad tehsils.

Rs 184 Crore Approved for Operation of Malhargarh Pressurised Major Lift Irrigation Project

The Cabinet approved Rs 184.20 crore for the continued operation of the Malhargarh Pressurised Major Lift Irrigation Project in Mandsaur during the 16th Finance Commission period, from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.

The Malhargarh Pressurised Major Lift Irrigation Project is a lift irrigation scheme aimed at creating irrigation potential over 46,500 hectares in Mandsaur district.

Rs 857 Crore Approved for Centre of Excellence and Other Science and Technology Schemes

The Cabinet approved Rs 857.21 crore for the continued implementation of various schemes of the Department of Science and Technology during the 16th Finance Commission period, from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031. The approval includes Rs 85.51 crore for establishing a Drone Technology-based Centre of Excellence at IISER Bhopal.

Continuation of IT Park Scheme Approved, 8,000 Jobs to be Created

The Cabinet approved Rs 595 crore for the IT Park Establishment Scheme in the state. Under the scheme, IT Parks have been established in Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur and Gwalior.

The development of IT Parks and IT Towers will strengthen the state’s modern technological infrastructure, attract domestic and international investment, and promote industrial growth. As a result, significant direct and indirect employment opportunities will be generated, providing skill-based jobs and self-employment opportunities to more than 8,000 local youth.

Notably, nearly 22,000 youth have already secured employment through the initiative. Effective implementation of the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the Global Investors Summit (GIS) will further expand the IT and ESDM sectors, strengthen the state’s economy, enhance digital and technological capabilities, and establish Madhya Pradesh as an emerging national and international technology and investment destination.

The Cabinet also approved the release of Rs 17.90 crore over the next three years towards the total project cost of Rs 85.51 crore for establishing the Drone Technology-based Centre of Excellence (COE) at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal.

The Centre will function as an advanced Research and Development (R&D) facility, promoting research and innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone simulation, digital twin technology, UAV design and manufacturing, autonomous systems and advanced applications. It will also provide facilities for startup incubation, Proof of Concept (PoC), prototype development and testing, helping create a comprehensive and self-reliant drone technology ecosystem in the state.

The Cabinet approved Rs 110 crore for the “Support to MPSEDC and Other Institutions for New Technologies” scheme. The objective of the scheme is to improve administrative efficiency, transparency and accountability by providing the state government and its departments with the latest information technology and digital solutions, while ensuring faster, simpler and secure online services for citizens.

The scheme includes key initiatives such as AI/ML-based Business Intelligence, WhatsApp Chatbot, drone services, SMS Gateway, MP CODE, e-Sign, State Email Policy, Low-Code/No-Code platforms and a Security Audit Lab.

The Cabinet also approved Rs 40.20 crore for the Madhya Pradesh State Spatial Data Infrastructure (MPSSDI) scheme. The scheme aims to develop, maintain and update integrated spatial data using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and provide reliable, updated and user-friendly GIS-based services to various departments, agencies and government programmes. It is expected to strengthen real-time monitoring and decision-making in sectors such as disaster management, water supply, land management, urban development and road maintenance.

Similarly, the Cabinet approved Rs 26.50 crore for the Cloud Services Delivery and Management scheme. The initiative aims to accelerate the vision of Digital Madhya Pradesh by driving digital transformation across government services.

Under the scheme, the Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (MPSEDC) will provide secure, flexible, scalable and cost-effective cloud services to government and semi-government departments based on its Cloud Adoption Framework. This will eliminate the need for heavy capital investment in building and maintaining IT infrastructure, enabling departments to access computing resources, storage, networking and software services as required through cloud platforms.

Approval Granted for New Circle Office of Electrical Safety Inspectorate in Gwalior

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a new Circle Office of the Electrical Safety Inspectorate in Gwalior along with the creation of nine new posts. The Energy Department has been authorised to carry out the recruitment and establishment process.

Circle offices of the Electrical Safety Inspectorate are already operational in all major revenue divisions except Sagar, Shahdol and Narmadapuram. At present, electrical safety and revenue collection work for the Gwalior and Chambal divisions is handled from the Bhopal headquarters.

The new office will particularly benefit the Bamour industrial area in Morena and the Malanpur industrial area in Bhind. It will also support the proposed 600 MW Battery Storage Solar Power Plant planned in Morena, making the establishment of the new Gwalior Circle Office essential.

Approval for Creation of Nine New Judicial Posts in Narayangarh

The Cabinet approved the creation of nine new posts, including one post of District and Additional Sessions Judge, in Narayangarh, Mandsaur district.

The decision will facilitate regular functioning of the court, help dispose of pending cases in response to the demands of local advocates and residents, and ensure accessible and speedy justice for the public.

Rs 129 Crore Approved for Operation of RCVP Noronha Academy

The Cabinet approved Rs 129.12 crore for the continued operation of schemes related to the activities of the RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration and Management under the General Administration Department during the 16th Finance Commission period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.

The approved funds will be used for establishment and office expenses, Mission Karmayogi, maintenance of departmental assets, and creation of physical infrastructure for training activities at the academy campus.

Rs 198 Crore Approved for Sankalp Hub, Shakti Sadan and Sakhi Niwas

The Cabinet approved Rs 198.59 crore for the continued implementation of the Sankalp Hub for Empowerment of Women, Shakti Sadan and Sakhi Niwas schemes under Mission Shakti, Samarthya Sub-Scheme, from 2026-27 to 2030-31.

The Sankalp Hub for Empowerment of Women aims to function as a district-level unit to create awareness among women about welfare and empowerment schemes and policies while ensuring access to these benefits. The scheme is already operational in 52 districts and will now be extended to the state’s three newly created districts.

Shakti Sadan aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for women, particularly those rescued from trafficking and other crisis situations, enabling them to rebuild their lives. At present, 14 Shakti Sadans are being run in the state through non-government organisations, while the Government of India has approved five additional centres.

The Sakhi Niwas scheme has been introduced to provide safe and convenient accommodation for working women in urban and rural areas. Earlier known as Mahila Vishramalaya, Sakhi Niwas is open to working women from all sections of society. It also provides daycare facilities for the young children of women employees. At present, three government-run Sakhi Niwas facilities are operational in the state.

Rs 982 Crore Approved for Employee Welfare, Pension and Insurance Schemes

The Cabinet approved Rs 982.49 crore for the continued operation of employee welfare, pension, provident fund and insurance schemes under the Finance Department during the 16th Finance Commission period from April 1, 2026 to March 2031.

The approved amount will be utilised for the Directorate of Pension, Provident Fund and Insurance schemes, the Directorate of Pension and Employee Welfare, district pension offices, maintenance of departmental assets, the Pensioners’ Welfare Fund, interest on the Government Servants’ Family Welfare Fund, the Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme, and the Government Employees-cum-Group Insurance Scheme.

Continuation Approved for Farmers’ Bonus Payment Scheme on MSP Procurement

The Cabinet approved the continuation of the bonus payment scheme for farmers on procurement at the Minimum Support Price under a scheme of over Rs 500 crore implemented by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department during the 16th Finance Commission period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.

Approval for Amendment to Madhya Pradesh Legal Metrology Rules, 2011

The Cabinet approved amendments to the Madhya Pradesh Legal Metrology Rules, 2011.The amendments have been made to implement in the state the changes introduced by the Government of India through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, which amended the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. The changes are also aimed at ensuring compliance with recommendations under the Compliance Reduction and Deregulation initiative and revising verification fees for weights and measuring instruments.