Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav on Wednesday said farmers remain at the heart of his government’s welfare agenda, stressing that the state is working to support the annadata (the food providers), “from the fields to their bank accounts”.

Addressing the Balram Jayanti Mahotsav in Gwalior, CM Dr Yadav said agriculture had been accorded the highest place in Indian culture and praised farmers for their contribution to the country’s prosperity.

“Lord Balram connected agriculture with nature and opened a new chapter of self-reliance,” the Chief Minister said. He noted that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi had identified four key groups, the poor, farmers, youth and women, for focused welfare measures.

New initiatives launched for farmers

CM Dr Yadav said soldiers guarding the country’s borders and farmers working in the fields command equal respect, describing farmers as a vital force behind India’s prosperity.

During the event, he launched the online Kisan Credit Card portal, the Krishak Kavach Yojana, offices of 200 newly registered Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), and the Apex Bank’s divisional branch in Gwalior.

He said the Krishak Kavach scheme reflected the government’s commitment to standing by farmers, while irrigation facilities were being strengthened. Farmers currently receive 24-hour electricity for irrigation, and the government is working to provide daytime power as well.

Power generation and irrigation capacity expanded

CM Dr Yadav claimed Madhya Pradesh had emerged as one of India’s leading states in power generation. He said the state’s generation capacity, which stood at around 5,000 MW after 55 years following Independence, had risen to 25,000 MW before the present government and increased further to 31,000 MW in just two-and-a-half years.

The Chief Minister said the area under irrigation currently exceeds 6 million hectares, with a target of taking it to 10 million hectares within the next two-and-a-half years.

He also announced measures aimed at making agricultural loans more flexible, saying farmers would no longer need to settle their accounts every six months and could repay loans at any time during the year.

Push for allied farming and youth welfare

CM Dr Yadav urged farmers to diversify beyond food grains and benefit from horticulture. Under the ‘Ek Bagia Maa Ke Naam’ scheme, farmers are being encouraged to develop orchards. The government is also promoting dairy farming, with a new cow-rearing scheme offering a subsidy of ₹10 lakh on loans of up to ₹40 lakh.

He said farmers were also being linked with fisheries, poultry and goat-rearing schemes.

Highlighting youth welfare, CM Dr Yadav said meritorious students scoring more than 75% in board examinations had been provided laptops, while government-school students were receiving books, uniforms and bicycles. The state is also developing Sandipani schools and working to connect young people with industries and employment.

Leaders underline importance of agriculture

Union Telecommunications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said India remained an agriculture-driven nation and that cooperative institutions were helping farmers across the country. He said dams and reservoirs in the Gwalior-Chambal region were strengthening agriculture, while rail connectivity was being expanded to help farmers transport and sell their produce.

Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar said Gwalior had been celebrating Balram Jayanti for nearly two decades and welcomed the decision to organise the festival across all districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Youth Welfare and Cooperation Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang said the government was working to increase farmers’ incomes and provide loans at zero per cent interest through the cooperative sector.

He said the Balram Jayanti pledge was clear: to make farming profitable and ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce.