Bhopal, Sept. 15 -- The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, on Tuesday approved proposals worth more than Rs 42,490 crore aimed at strengthening infrastructure, expanding public services and accelerating welfare and development initiatives across the state.
The Cabinet approved Rs 36,006.22 crore for continuation of the Centre-sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme from 2026-27 to 2030-31. The scheme covers students from pre-primary to Class 12 and focuses on improving learning outcomes, access, equity and inclusion, vocational education and teacher training.
To strengthen transport infrastructure and citizen services, the Cabinet approved Rs 1,166.60 crore for continuation of 11 Transport Department schemes for five years. The largest allocations include Rs 377.41 crore for flying squads and checkposts, Rs 361.89 crore for district establishments and Rs 245.55 crore for continuation of the smart card scheme. Funds were also approved for driving training centres, rural transport and road safety initiatives.
The Cabinet also cleared Rs 491 crore for eight horticulture and food-processing schemes for 2026-27 to 2030-31, aimed at increasing farmers' incomes and expanding horticultural production. Fruit plantation and spice-area expansion schemes will receive Rs 100 crore each, while Rs 85 crore has been earmarked for protected cultivation.
In the irrigation sector, projects worth over Rs 2,600 crore were approved. The Chitawad project in Ujjain received Rs 1,846.05 crore and is expected to create irrigation facilities over 65,000 hectares. The Gaund major irrigation project in Singrauli was sanctioned Rs 749.62 crore for developing irrigation capacity over 34,500 hectares, while Rs 11.49 crore was approved for the Chanderi micro-irrigation project in Ashoknagar, targeting 28,000 hectares.
The Cabinet approved 21 new posts for mineral branches in newly formed districts of Maihar, Mauganj and Pandhurna. Another 36 regular posts were sanctioned for four upgraded high schools in Anuppur and Shahdol.
It also ratified the decision to provide an additional Rs 250 special assistance to beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme on Raksha Bandhan.
In another major decision, the Cabinet approved an interest-free loan of Rs 2,220.62 crore to MARKFED to facilitate repayment of its outstanding food-grain credit-limit loan by September 30, 2026. The Cabinet was also apprised of decisions taken at the 64th meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Authority's empowered committee held on May 26.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.