Cabinet approves implementation of ‘Devi Ahilya Nari Shaktikaran Mission’

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has chaired the Cabinet meeting held on Friday at Maheshwar, the historic city of Lokmata Ahilyabai. During the meeting, the Cabinet approved a significant decision to ban liquor in 19 urban and rural areas across the state. Cabinet has decided that liquor shops and bars will be closed within the urban limits of Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Orchha, Maihar, Chitrakoot, Datia, Panna, Mandla, Multai, Mandsaur, and Amarkantak. Additionally, the ban will extend to the Gram Panchayat limits of Salkanpur, Kundalpur, Bandakpur, Barmankalan, Barmankhurd, and Linga. The decision recognizes these 19 urban and rural areas as completely sacred, reflecting the government’s commitment to preserving their sanctity.

Implementation of Devi Ahilya Nari Sashaktikaran Mission okayed

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has identified youth, women, farmers, and the poor as the four foundational pillars of the nation’s development. In alignment with this vision, the Madhya Pradesh government will launch the Devi Ahilya Nari Sashaktikaran Mission. The Cabinet has granted in-principle approval for the implementation of this mission, which aims to promote Women-Led Development in a coordinated manner. The mission seeks to achieve the overall socio-economic development of women in the state.

The main objectives of the Mission include education, health, nutrition, economic development and security of women and girls, ensuring access to various government services to women and girls, making integrated efforts to increase economic self-reliance of women and their economic participation in society, developing awareness to increase sensitivity among men for positive behavioural change towards women and girls in society.

The major goals of the mission include increasing the sex ratio at birth by 5 points per thousand, increasing 10 or more years of schooling of the girl child by 5 percent, reducing the maternal mortality rate by 10 points, reducing crimes against women by 5 points, preventing child marriage and increasing female labour force participation rate by 3 percent.

The major components of Devi Ahilya Nari Sashaktikaran Mission are health and nutrition, education and life skills, economic independence, safety, and protection, and behaviour change through interaction.

Approval to include solar agricultural pumps in ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishak Mitra Surya Yojana’

The Cabinet has approved the inclusion of solar agricultural pumps under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishak Mitra Surya Yojana’ to provide pump connections to farmers or groups of farmers across the state, integrating it with the existing ‘Mukhyamantri Krishak Mitra Yojana.’ As per the revised subsidy structure: Farmers will contribute 5 percent or 10 percent of the project cost, depending on the category, as margin money. The remaining amount will be financed through a loan, with the state government taking full responsibility for its repayment.

The loan can be paid by the state government from the savings in subsidy payable to distribution companies under ‘Atal Krishi Jyoti Yojana’ and other schemes for agricultural consumers due to the installation of solar agricultural pumps. In the first phase of the scheme, consumers with temporary electricity connections or unelectrified farmers will be given the benefit of solar pumps. In the upcoming phases of the scheme, it is proposed to provide solar pumps to farmers using permanent electric pumps as well. Its implementation will be done in the state by Madhya Pradesh Energy Development Corporation under component ‘B’ of the Central Government’s ‘Kusum Yojana’. By installing solar pumps, the burden of subsidy on the state government for supplying electricity to electric pumps can be limited and the distribution losses of electricity distribution companies can be reduced.

Nod to Madhya Pradesh Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming Comics and Extended Reality Policy-2025

The Cabinet has decided to issue ‘Madhya Pradesh Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC/XR) Policy-2025’ to promote the development of animation, visual effects, gaming comics and extended reality sector in the state.

The implementation of “AVGC/XR Policy-2025” will create a sustainable eco-system in the state for the AVGC-XR industry, resulting in increased investment in the state and the creation of employment opportunities. This policy can provide many benefits to the state by promoting the AVGC sector. It will not only create thousands of jobs for the youth but will also boost the economy of the state. It will promote skill development and help the state become a world-class production hub in this sector.

Approval for construction of railway overbridge from Bawadiakalan Chauraha to Ashima Mall in Bhopal

The Cabinet has approved Rs 144 crore 18 lakh for the construction of 733 meter 733-meter-long a railway overbridge and 310-meter approach road from Bawadiakalan Chauraha (Apollo Sage Hospital) to Ashima Mall in Bhopal city to facilitate traffic in the area.

Decision to exempt from ban on transfers in special circumstances

The Cabinet, while approving exemption from the ban on transfers, decided to delegate the authority to issue transfer orders in special circumstances to the departments.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University of Social Science will be developed as ‘Centre of Excellence’

The Cabinet approved an amount of Rs 25 crore to start the Faculty of Law at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University of Social Science in Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Nagar Indore (Mhow). Along with this, it has been decided to develop Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University of Social Science as a Centre of Excellence.

Other decisions

The Cabinet approved 424 new posts for running district hospitals in the newly approved districts of Mauganj, Maihar and Pandhurna in the state. This includes 421 regular and 03 contractual posts.