Chouhan moots participatory approach to development

Bhopal, Aug 15 (UNI) Maintaining that the Madhya Pradesh government's prime objective was development with greater participation, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said it would soon organise a farmers' panchayats and similar initiatives taken for forest-dwellers, Scheduled Caste, aged and youth.

''Initiatives such as Samadhan Online, One-day Governance, Lok Kalyan Shivir and CM's Monitoring System intend to improve the public grievances monitoring mechanism and review system,'' he said after unfurling the tricolour at an independence day parade here.

Giving details about various initiatives taken by the government for the uplift of women, he claimed over 8,000 poor girls were married off under the Kanyadan Yojana.

''The Gaon Ki Beti Yojana is encouraging village girls to go in for higher education. About 105 Kasturba Balika residential schools have been set up,'' he said, adding that 15,805 child education and care centres, and 9537 anganwadi centres would be opened.

Mr Chouhan said special help desks for women and the Women Helpline facility have been launched. He further said a Rani Durgawati Battalion will be instituted and the percentage of women police personnel enhanced.

The Chief Minister claimed that the state had topped in implementation of the Prime Minister's Rural Roads Scheme under which a total stretch of over 10,000 km has been laid.

Listing the initiatives for educational empowerment of students belonging to SC, tribes and other weaker sections, he informed that 37 ashrams -- each of 50-seat capacity -- two post-matric hostels, five pre-matric girls' hostels and 38 centres of excellence would be opened.

''A Rs 74.81-crore Integrated Tribal Dairy Development Project is being launched in 11 districts. The poor have secured cover under the Vivekanand Group Insurance Scheme. Twenty lakh jobs will be created under the Madhya Pradesh Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,'' Mr Chouhan said, as per the release.

UNI AC VA VC1828