MP Cabinet meeting: The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav gave nod to a 3% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees across the state on Tuesday. The decision came as a financial relief for thousands of officials and staffers of the state.

The cabinet meeting was held at the state secretariat, and began with the traditional rendition of Vande Mataram. The DA hike, which has received ratification from the government, will now ensure that the employees and officers of the state will soon benefit.

MP Cabinet meeting: Other key discussions in the meeting

During the meeting, the Cabinet reviewed the potential impact of geopolitical tensions in the Gulf nations on the supply, diesel and LPG. CM Dr Yadav directed the officials to ensure uninterrupted availability of fuel across MP. He emphasised that the supply must remain smooth under all circumstances. The authorities received orders to take strict measures against hoarding and black marketing to prevent artificial shortages.

Jal Ganga Sanvardhan campaign gets nod too

The Cabinet also approved the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan, a large-scale water conservation initiative, slated to kick off on March 19 across the state. CM Dr Yadav also noted that the campaign has already received appreciation from the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The goal of the initiative is to strengthen water conservation efforts and promote sustainable water management, especially in rural regions where communities have displayed strong support for the programme. 

Major decisions taken in the meeting

• Focus was laid on farmers receiving the full value for their agriculture produce, with elaborated discussions on wheat procurement arrangements.
• Close to 4.6 million rural families have been identified under the Swamitva scheme, who will receive legal property ownership documents. The state government will waive nearly Rs 3000 crore in stamp duty on property registrations under the scheme.
• A plan was discussed to develop the state’s hill station, Pachmarhi, as a green tourism destination. Future collaboration possibilities for eco-tourism development were also paid heed to. 
• Youth participation to be ensured to exercise good governance
• The MP government will soon launch a new programme aimed at exercising and strengthening good governance through participation of youth. Selected participants will receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 10,000, with the scheme operating under the supervision of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis. The outlay for the programme has been estimated to be around Rs 170 crore.

Towards the end of the Cabinet meeting, the ministers exchanged greetings on the occasion of Gudi Padwa.