On 11 February 2024, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple developmental projects worth Rs 7,500 crore in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh (MP). The development projects will benefit the significant tribal population of the region.
- The projects also focus on strengthening the water supply and provisioning of drinking water, enhancing education, and boosting the road, rail, and power sectors in MP.
Key People: Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of MP; Mangubhai C. Patel, Governor of MP; Union Minister Arjun Munda, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, among others were present during the event.
Highlights:
i.The PM disbursed monthly installments of Rs 1500 under Aahar Anudan Yojna to 2 lakh women beneficiaries from specially backward tribes.
- The scheme aims to provide nutritious food and improve the well-being of women in MP.
ii.The PM distributed 1.75 lakh adhikar abhilekh (record of rights) to beneficiaries of the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme.
iii.The PM also transferred Rs 55.9 crores for 559 villages under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana. This will be utilised for construction activities for essential amenities including Anganwadi Bhawans, Fair Price Shops, Health Centres, etc.
Development projects:
i.The PM laid the foundation stone of CM Rise School, a technologically advanced school in Jhabua, integrating smart classes and e-library facilities, etc into students.
ii.He also laid the foundation stone for Tantya Mama Bhil University, catering to the youth from tribal-dominated districts, and emphasising education.
iii.He also laid the foundation stone for projects like
- ‘Talavada Project,’ a drinking water supply scheme benefiting over a thousand villages in Dhar & Ratlam.
- 14 urban water supply schemes under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, benefiting over 50 thousand households across various districts of MP.
iv.He also dedicated the ‘Nal Jal Yojna’ to 50 Gram Panchayats of Jhabua which will provide tap water to about 11 thousand households.
v.He also dedicated and laid the foundation stone of various development initiatives like waste dumpsite remediation and electric substation.
Rail Infrastructure Development:
i.PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Ratlam and Meghnagar railway stations under the Amrit Bharat station scheme.
ii.He also dedicated the rail projects for, Doubling of Indore-Dewas-Ujjain C cabin railway line; Itarsi-North-South grade separator with yard remodeling; and 3rd line connecting Barkhera-Budni-Itarsi.
- These projects will strengthen rail infrastructure and reduce travel time for both passenger and goods trains.
Road Development for Connectivity and Economic Growth:
PM Modi dedicated road projects worth over 3275 crores in MP. This includes 4-laning of key sections like:
i.Harda-Betul (Package-I) from 0.00 to 30.00 km (Harda-Temagaon) of NH-47;
ii.Ujjain Dewas section of NH-752D;
iii.16 km of Indore-Gujarat MP Border section of NH-47;
iv.Chicholi-Betul (Package-III) Harda-Betul of NH-47;
v.Ujjain Jhalawar section of NH-552G.
Note: These projects aim to enhance road connectivity, reduce travel time, and help in economic development.
PM Modi Announces ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana‘ to Promote Solar Rooftops for Free Electricity
On 13 February 2024, PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana’, to encourage people to install solar panels on their rooftops for free electricity.
About PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana:
i.The scheme aims to provide free electricity of 300 units per month to 1 crore households in India.
ii.The project will be implemented with an investment of over Rs 75000 crore
iii.This showcases the government’s commitment towards sustainable development and well-being of its citizens.
Note: The scheme was first announced by Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance during the interim budget for 2024-25.
Points to note:
i.Under the scheme, substantive subsidies will be directly credited to individuals’ bank accounts, ensuring that the financial burden is alleviated for the beneficiaries.
ii.The scheme will also facilitate access to heavily concessional bank loans to promoting the ease of transitioning to solar power.
iii.All stakeholders will be seamlessly integrated through a National Online Portal, streamlining the process and ensuring efficient implementation of the initiative.
iv.Urban local bodies and panchayats will promote rooftop solar systems in their respective areas.
Recent related News:
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited Odisha and Assam on the 3rd and 4th of February 2024 and laid the foundation stone and inaugurated several projects.
About Madhya Pradesh:
Chief Minster– Mohan Yadav
Governor– Mangubhai C. Patel
National Parks– Dinosaur Fossil National Park and Van Vihar National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Bagdara Wildlife Sanctuary and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary
