Gwalior/Bhopal, September 2, 2026

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Wednesday placed farmers at the centre of Madhya Pradesh’s growth story. He assured them of adequate irrigation, reliable power, easy credit and modern facilities to make farming more productive.

Addressing the state-level Balram Jayanti Mahotsav at Gwalior’s Mela Ground, Dr Yadav praised farmers for their hard work and contribution to the state’s economy. He said Lord Balram’s plough remained a powerful symbol of India’s farming tradition, labour and prosperity.

The Chief Minister said humanity and social harmony formed the basic principles of the BJP government’s approach to governance. The welfare of farmers, workers and weaker sections remained central to its policies, he added.

Dr Yadav said agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture and milk production were expanding across Madhya Pradesh. Gwalior-Chambal, Malwa, Bundelkhand, Vindhya and Nimar were also witnessing major changes in infrastructure and economic activity.

He said the government’s river-linking programme would take irrigation facilities to more farmland. The Ken-Betwa project is the country’s first major river-linking project under the national programme. The Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal project is expected to benefit large areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The Chief Minister assured farmers that the government would provide adequate water and electricity for agriculture. Financial assistance through cooperative banks would also be made easier to help them become self-reliant.

Several initiatives related to agriculture and rural cooperatives were launched at the gathering. These included the Kisan Credit Card portal, a simplified process under the zero per cent interest scheme and the Krishak Kavach Yojana.

Offices of 200 newly registered Primary Agricultural Credit Societies were also inaugurated. Certificates were presented to new members, while better-performing cooperative banks and societies were recognised. Farmers doing notable work in organic farming, horticulture and cattle development were also honoured. The programme brought agricultural support, rural credit and cooperative reforms onto a common platform.

Dr Yadav said the state’s development was not limited to agriculture. Madhya Pradesh was also attracting substantial investment in manufacturing and other employment-generating sectors. He cited defence projects, cement plants and the expansion of Godrej’s manufacturing operations in the Gwalior-Chambal region. These investments reflected the government’s sustained efforts to create jobs and widen the region’s industrial base.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the progress of farmers was closely linked with the development of Madhya Pradesh. He said the Centre and the state government were working together to strengthen irrigation, cooperatives and rural infrastructure.

Scindia said the new initiatives launched at the gathering would make institutional credit and other facilities more accessible to farmers. Strengthening the rural economy would also open new opportunities for the Gwalior-Chambal region, he added.

The Chief Minister also announced that a government-regulated public bus network would soon become operational. The Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva is aimed at improving travel between villages, towns and cities in a phased manner.

Dr Yadav said Madhya Pradesh had registered visible progress in the road, rail and aviation sectors with the support of the Central government. Improved connectivity was helping farmers reach markets and creating new opportunities for industry and tourism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and development vision had given the country a new direction, Dr Yadav said. He referred to the Prime Minister’s birthday on September 17 and his approaching completion of 25 years in government leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister in October 2001 before assuming charge as Prime Minister in May 2014.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, Dr Yadav said farmers had struggled for basic facilities such as electricity and irrigation during its earlier governments. The BJP government was addressing these long-standing gaps through irrigation projects, rural electrification, cooperative credit and better connectivity, he added.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar, Cooperation Minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang and State Finance Commission Chairman Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya were among those present.