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Smartphones for newlyweds, Rs 5 meals for labourers: MP Govt

Unlike other politicians, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan does not wait till the eve of election day to announce measures aimed at appeasing prospective voters.

Updated on: Dec 5, 2016, 09:58:21 IST
HT Correspondent, Bhopal | By
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Unlike other politicians, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan does not wait till the eve of election day to announce measures aimed at appeasing prospective voters.

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Bhopal rally. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT photo)
CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Bhopal rally. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT photo)

Chouhan on Sunday announced that Deendayal kitchens would be launched in select cities of the state, so construction workers can get meals at a mere Rs 5 per head.

He also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the families of labourers and farmers who die during the course of their work.

While the family of a labourer who meets his demise before attaining 40 years of age would get Rs 2 lakh, relatives of those meeting accidental deaths would be entitled to double that amount.

The chief minister made these announcements on Sunday afternoon, while addressing a massive gathering of welfare scheme beneficiaries at a Jan Kalyan Yojna Prakshishan Sammelan in the city.

Various ministers from his cabinet, state BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste attended the event held at Jamboree Maidan.

Govt to join hands with pvt companies to ensure lodging for labourers

Chouhan said the government would join hands with private sector companies to ensure proper lodging for labourers. “We will not allow them to live like flies and mosquitoes in slums,” he added.

The chief minister had something for those planning to tie the knot too. He announced free smartphones for newly-wed couples under the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojna and Mukhyamantri Nikah Yojna, apart from other provisions that would help promote cashless transactions in the state.

Landless persons to get funds for constructing house

Besides this, Chouhan said a law aimed at providing space for houses to landless labourers would be introduced in the budget session of the state assembly soon. “If land is not available, the government may even purchase land for them. If there’s a space constraint, flats would be provided in multi-storeyed buildings. A landless person in a rural area will get Rs 1.20 lakh for constructing his house, and Rs 12,000 for a toilet. Similarly, a landless person in an urban area will get Rs 3 lakh – Rs 1.5 lakh of which would come from the Centre,” he said.

Skill development training for 7.5 lakh people every year

The chief minister also announced skill development training for as many as 7.5 lakh people every year, and loans for a similar number under the self-employment scheme.

Blaming the country’s growing rich-poor divide on the erstwhile Congress government at the Centre, Chouhan asked the people to draw inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘Na khaunga na khaane dunga’. Praising Modi’s campaign against black money, he said cashless transactions would be promoted in Madhya Pradesh to ensure transparency. Everybody from ministers to MLAs and government officials would be trained in these matters, he added.

Chouhan also asked traders to conduct transactions through point of sale machines to derive incentives and tax exemptions..