Bhopal Aug. 1 : Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday chaired a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting in Madhya Pradesh’s Devas district, reviewing the progress of agriculture, rural development, irrigation, drinking water, health, roads, electricity, women’s empowerment and employment-related schemes.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Chouhan said a series of decisions had been taken to accelerate the district’s overall development, with a special emphasis on increasing farmers’ income, strengthening rural infrastructure and creating employment opportunities.
The Union Minister said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), in collaboration with the Union Agriculture Ministry, has prepared a comprehensive agricultural roadmap for Devas based on the district’s soil profile, climate, water availability and local conditions.
He said the roadmap aims to promote scientific farming practices, improve crop productivity and encourage horticulture clusters. The government will also strengthen Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and promote agro-processing activities to enable farmers to secure better returns from their produce.
Chouhan said the district administration would work to establish Devas as a model agriculture district by implementing the recommendations contained in the roadmap.
On women’s empowerment, the Minister said the government has set a target of creating 37,000 new “Lakhpati Didis” in Devas, taking the total number of women earning at least ₹1 lakh annually to around 72,000. At present, nearly 35,000 women in the district fall under the category.
He said discussions were held with bankers to improve credit access for women associated with Self Help Groups (SHGs). Women would receive skill training, bank linkage and financial assistance to start income-generating activities, while those not yet connected with SHGs would be brought into the network through a dedicated campaign.
The Minister also said banks had agreed in principle to provide larger individual loans to eligible women entrepreneurs to promote self-employment and micro-enterprises.
Reviewing rural development initiatives, Chouhan said villages would receive development funds under the Viksit Bharat Gram Yojana, with local communities deciding their development priorities. The initiative, he said, would accelerate the creation of basic infrastructure in rural areas.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of major irrigation projects, including the Chhipaner Lift Irrigation Scheme and Maa Rewa Lift Irrigation Scheme. Chouhan said forest clearance had been obtained for one key project and construction work would commence shortly, helping improve irrigation coverage across several villages.
Expressing concern over delays in drinking water projects, particularly in the Khategaon region, the Minister directed officials to investigate the reasons for slow implementation and submit reports. He also instructed the Madhya Pradesh Jal Nigam to conduct a detailed review of ongoing schemes.
Chouhan announced three major public welfare initiatives for the district. He said a special campaign would be launched to make Devas tuberculosis-free by ensuring nutritional support and proper treatment for TB patients.
He further directed officials to ensure that Ayushman Bharat health cards are issued to all eligible beneficiaries, including senior citizens above the age of 70, within the next three months so that no eligible person is deprived of healthcare benefits.
The Minister also announced a district-wide campaign to eliminate malnutrition through coordinated interventions by various departments.
Highlighting employment generation, Chouhan said youth would be provided skill development training under the Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) and linked with banks for credit support to establish self-employment ventures.
He added that specialised training programmes would also be organised in accordance with industry requirements to improve employability and create a skilled workforce for the district.
Describing the DISHA meeting as “highly constructive,” Chouhan said the Centre and the state government would work together to ensure Devas achieves significant progress in agriculture, infrastructure, rural development, public welfare and employment generation in the coming years.
