Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that efforts undertaken by the state government in the last ten years have brought Madhya Pradesh in the rank of developed state. Now priority is given to make people economically empowered. Development is meaningful only when its benefit reaches the people. Chouhan was speaking at a programme organised by one of the news channel here on Saturday. Chouhan said that growth rate of the state is in double digit continuously since last seven years. Agriculture growth rate is above 20 per cent since last four years. Per capita income has grew from Rs 18,000 to Rs 59,000 in the state. In the last ten years, one lakh kilometer roads have been constructed. Moreover the availability of electricity becomes 18 thousand megawatt from 4,000 megawatt. Madhya Pradesh has now become power surplus state.
Irrigation capacity is reached 40 lakh hectare from 7.5 lakh hectare. Water has been supplied to the agriculture land of the farmers under the river link programme. Agriculture loans have been provided to the farmers on zero percent interest rate. Now 90 per cent of the agriculture loan will be taken back from the farmers. Horticulture area has increased to 15 lakh hectare. Roadmap to double the farmers income in the next five years has been made, he added.
Moreover, Chouhan said that several schemes have been implemented for the welfare of poor and weaker section of the society. Scheme to provide wheat, rice and salt at the rate of one rupee per kg to the poor, free medicines to poor and housing scheme for poor has been made. Arrangements have been made for medical treatment of poor from the State Disease Assistance Fund. Similarly, schemes have made for education of poor and talented students. Many schemes have been formulated for the assistance of poor and labour class of the state.
Under the women empowerment, 23 lakh girls have been made Ladli Laxmis. A sum of Rs 7,900 crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of these ladli laxmis which will become 27,600 crore when they attain age of 21 years. Fifty percent reservation has been made in the local bodies for women. Similarly, 50 percent reservation has been implemented in government education services and 33 per cent reservation in other government services except forest services. Several schemes have been prepared for economic empowerment of women.