Long-Term Plans, Rahul Gandhi and Son's Wedding: Mohan Yadav At NDTV Conclave

At the NDTV Conclave in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav spoke openly on issues such as the 2047 development vision, employment, investment, the Ken-Betwa project, the Ladli Behna Yojana, and Rahul Gandhi's Indore visit. 

Governments should not lurch from one election to the next but work on a long-term strategy, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav told the NDTV Conclave at Bhopal today. While for the Central government it meant developing the concept of Amrit Kaal with the goal of a "Viksit Bharat", for Madhya Pradesh, it is pushing up the per capita income, he indicated. 

Yadav said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's primary concern that governments should not operate solely according to the electoral cycle. "The country and the state are permanent, so plans should be long-term," he quoted PM Modi as saying. 

The Chief Minister claimed that from Rs 11,000 in 2002, the state's per capita income rose to around Rs 1.40 lakh. The idea now is to push it to Rs 22 lakh by 2047. 

The goal, he said, is not merely a number - rather, it involves working together on agriculture, industry, investment, infrastructure, and employment generation.

Yadav said since 2014, Madhya Pradesh has benefited from the double-engine government. Under PM Modi's leadership, many tasks previously considered difficult have become possible. 

Asked for example, he cited the Bundelkhand region, where water shortages had long caused migration. Now, efforts are on to find a permanent solution to that problem through the Ken-Betwa Link Project. 

This project will benefit nine districts of Madhya Pradesh. He added that an important agreement has also been reached between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on the water issue.

In the coming years, the River Linking Campaign will be included among the biggest development projects of the state.  

"Country's Lowest Unemployment Rate"

The Chief Minister said his state has the lowest unemployment rate in the country. His government, he said, has provided permanent jobs to 85,000 people so far.

He also said government jobs alone will not solve the problem.

According to the Chief Minister, approximately 12 million people have also been employed in the non-government sector. His government, he said, aims to empower youth to become job creators, not job seekers.

On Rahul Gandhi And OBC Reservation

On the issue of OBC reservations, the Chief Minister said the Opposition was spreading misinformation and 14 of the 27 per cent reservation is being implemented. The rest, he said, is under judicial proceedings. 

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi had accused the government of withholding reservations without supporting facts.

Rahul Gandhi, he alleged, constantly questions institutions like the courts, the Election Commission, and the military. "How can someone who doesn't trust the courts, the Election Commission, and the military save democracy?" he added. 

Asked what he considered the best thing about Rahul Gandhi, he smiled. Then added, "There is none."

More Money For Ladli Behna Scheme

Regarding the ongoing legal and political debate surrounding the Ladli Behna Yojana, the Chief Minister said the scheme will not be discontinued. 

The government, he said, is spending approximately Rs 55,000 crore on the scheme and the money will be increased.  

PM Modi's Advice And Son's Wedding

During the conversation, Mohan Yadav also shared a personal anecdote. He explained that he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Modi before his son's wedding. The Prime Minister advised him not to make weddings unnecessarily grand. The Chief Minister said that, following that advice, he arranged his younger son's wedding in a mass wedding ceremony. He also invited only 50 people to his elder son's wedding.