News Analysis India

Tag: Madhya Pradesh CM

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan meets PM Narendra ​Modi, discusses development initiatives

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday to brief him about various initiatives of his government, with the two leaders also discussing a host of issues.

    In a tweet, Modi said, “Met MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who discussed the good governance initiatives of the MP Government and how their transformative schemes are bringing a positive change in people’s lives.

    Issues related to law and order besides the naxal issue, Ken-Betwa river interlinking project and several other matters also figured in their discussion, with Chouhan briefing Modi about the measures taken by his government, officials said.

  • Shivraj Singh Chouhan breaks Raman Singh’s record to become longest-serving BJP CM

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: This year’s Holi is special for Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as he has achieved the distinction of being the longest-serving BJP chief minister.

    On Thursday, he broke a record which had been held by former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh.

    While Raman Singh, who was chief minister for three consecutive terms, remained in the post for fifteen years and ten days, 63-year-old Chouhan has now surpassed him.

    The Madhya Pradesh CM’s tenure, however, has not been unbroken: he was out of power for fifteen months as Congress formed government under Kamal Nath’s leadership after the 2018 Assembly polls.

    As far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, Chouhan has another record under his belt.

    On November 19, 2015, when he completed ten years in office, he became the first non-Congress chief minister of the state to do so.

    Then he went on to become the longest-serving chief minister of MP by breaking the record of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh who had ruled from 1993 to 2003.

    Chouhan became chief minister for the first time on November 29, 2005, after BJP leaders Uma Bharti and Babulal Gaur had to step down in a span of two years following controversies.

    He quickly consolidated his position and led the party to victories in 2008 and 2013 Assembly elections.

    But in the next election, the BJP fell short of the majority mark by a whisker and Chouhan resigned on December 12, 2018, making way for Congress’ Kamal Nath.

    Nath, however, had to step down on March 20, 2020, after his government was reduced to minority as Jyotiraditya Scindia quit Congress and his loyalist MLAs resigned.

    Three days later, Chouhan became chief minister for the fourth time.

    At present he seems to be firmly in saddle, but whether he will lead the party in 2023 elections is an open question as a rival has emerged in the shape of Union Civil Aviation Minister Scindia.

    State BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said Chouhan’s biggest asset is his humbleness.

    “He is a successful CM because he works for people by remaining in their midst. He works for people’s welfare day in and day out,” Chaturvedi added.

    Chouhan celebrated Holi on Friday at his official residence here, greeting people with his wife Sadhana by his side.

    The chief minister smeared `gulal’ colour on visitors’ faces and was also seen dancing and singing Holi songs.

    He also planted a sapling at the Smart City Park.

  • PM Modi’s security breach: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan targets Congress high command

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a scathing attack on the opposition Congress party over the January 5 security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy.

    Citing a sting operation aired by a news channel in the matter on Wednesday, Chouhan alleged that the security breach wasn’t spontaneous or coincidental, but was sponsored and a part of gory conspiracy.

    He also alleged that the disgusting act was carried out by the Punjab government at the behest of the Congress high command.

    The highly sensitive issue of the PM’s convoy’s security breach is being trivialized by the Congress and its leaders, including Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel through ridiculous remarks.

    “Such light comments clearly suggest a Congress hand behind the entire security breach,” the MP CM alleged further.

    Targeting the Congress high command in the matter, Chouhan sought answers from AICC president Sonia Gandhi on a series of questions.

    “Madam (Sonia Gandhi) will have to reply, why Punjab Police remained a mute spectator, even as the PM’s security was being messed up. Why was the Punjab chief secretary and DGP not present in the PM’s fleet?  Despite police presence, how did the protestors gather at the road in such a short time and why wasn’t action taken against them? How did the protestors come to know about the PM’s route plan? Why wasn’t the Punjab CM responding to multiple phone calls after the incident? All this clearly suggests that the incident is linked to the Congress high command,” Chouhan said.

    Reacting to the MP CM’s attack on the Congress high command over the PM’s convoy security breach, the MP Congress president and leader of opposition in the State Assembly Kamal Nath said, “When a committee headed by a former judge has already been constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court to probe the Ferozpur incident, then indulging in the political blame game is not right.”

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan scolds officials over water issue in native village

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan admonished local officials after he received complaints of water shortage while on a tour of his native Jait village in Sehore district, some 40 kilometres from here.

    A video of Chouhan expressing displeasure during his trip on Saturday went viral on social media soon after, leading to the opposition Congress claiming that the situation would be far worse in other parts of the state if the native village of a person who has been CM for 17 years was facing a water crisis.

    After receiving complaints from residents, Chouhan turned towards local officials and said, “What is Jal Nigam doing? Water is not being supplied to my village.

    Is it my work to receive each application, and check each tap spout? I will review the situation after 15 days and you (officials) will not stay here if even a single complaint is received.

    “This is not the way. Is it the CM’s work to see whether water is coming from each tap? Will people have to come to me for such small issues? The collector and commissioner will check the work you officials have done after 15 days,” he added.

    Chouhan asked officials to carry out a survey of the village, ensure water supply and submit a report on the situation in 15 days.

    A group scheme was implemented in several villages in Chouhan’s Budhni Assembly seat to provide tap water to every household.

    Hitting out at the state government, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh tweeted, “Now, the officials will look into every water tap.

    The tap spouts were found broken in Jait, the native village of Mamu (referring to Chouhan). What would have been condition of the state, if this is the situation in your (Chouhan) village.”

    MP Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja, while sharing the video showing the CM in Jait, said if “this is the condition of the native village of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has been CM for 17 years, then one can understand the situation in other parts of the state.”

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh will have to quit once results of bypolls are out: Kamal Nath

    By PTI

    KHANDWA: Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Monday alleged Shivraj Singh Chouhan government stopped the loan waiver scheme launched by the previous government led by him after coming to power last year.

    He also said Chouhan will have to quit the post of chief minister after the results of the bypolls- for one Lok Sabha seat and three Assembly segments- are out on November 2.

    Canvassing for a Congress candidate for the Khndwa Lok Sabha seat, Nath claimed that farm loans of 27 lakh farmers were waived when he was chief minister of Madhya Pradesh (from December 2018 to March 2020).

    “After forming the government we waived the farm loan of 27 lakh farmers including 1.21 lakh farmers in Khargone, 1.17 lakh in Dewas, 1.72 lakh in Burhanpur and 58,000 in Khandwa.However, soon after BJP came to power under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the government stopped the loan waiver scheme,” Nath said addressing a rally in support of Congress candidate Rajnarayan Singh Purni in Dhoolkot and Punasa towns under the Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency where the bypoll is scheduled to be held on October 30.

    Nath said that even today many tribals in the Khandwa area are landless.

    “When Congress returns to power in 2023, we will provide land lease to all the tribals in Madhya Pradesh,” the former chief minister said.

    Nath claimed he came to Dhoolkot defying the administration’s advice to not go due to bad weather.

    Notably, Chouhan was also scheduled to address a rally in Dhoolkot, cancelled it at the last moment due to the inclement weather.

    Criticising Chouhan, whom Congress had labelled “ghoshnaveer” (a person who makes only announcements) in the run-up to the 2018 assembly polls, Nath said in the last 16 years Chouhan made 22,000 announcements, but now his time of making announcements is coming to an end.

    “After the results of the bypolls come out on November 2, Chouhan will have to leave the post of the chief minister,” he claimed.

    Nath said in the last 21 years, BJP had won seven out of eight times in the elections held in the Khandwa area.

    “However, this time, the people of Khandwa will script a new history as they are tired of BJP’s false promises and announcements,” he said.

    The Khandwa Lok Sabha byelection was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MP Nandkumar Singh Chauhan.

    Besides, bypolls will be also held on October 30 for three vacant assembly seats of Prithvipur, Raigaon and Jobat.

  • Over 1000 people safely evacuated from flood-affected Sheopur village: Madhya Pradesh CM

    By ANI

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that more than 1000 people have been safely evacuated from flood-affected Sheopur village.

    He said that 30 villages of Sheopur have been affected by the floods in the rivers Quarri, Seep, and Parvati.

    “30 villages of Sheopur are flood affected. Relief and rescue work is going on at a brisk pace. So far, more than 1000 persons have been safely evacuated. At present, the campaign is going on to rescue about 1000 people trapped in village Jwalapur, Bheravada, Mewara, and Jatkheda,” Chouhan said in a tweet in Hindi.

    He congratulated the Border Security Force (BSF) and the administration for rescuing 24 people at night in Gwalior’s Pawaya Bhitarwar.

    “In Gwalior’s Pawaya Bhitarwar @BSF_India With the help of the administration, 24 people were rescued in the night, mostly children and women. Those who successfully carried out this operation even in dark and adverse conditions #BSF The jawans are to be congratulated,” said Chouhan in a tweet.

    Army has rescued 17 people trapped in Datia Pali’s Village and 20 people from Kali Pahari of Shivpuri, tweeted Chouhan. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has rescued 11 people from Tapkeshwar Temple, he said.

    The Chief Minister said that that he is continuously monitoring the flood situation in the state.

    “I have discussed with Inspector General of Police (IG) Chambal, IG Gwalior, and the district administration of the flood-prone area on the phone,” he said.

    “Rescue operation is going on in full swing at all the places. Many people have been evacuated safely in the rescue operation that lasted overnight,” added Chouhan.

    On Tuesday, the Chief Minister took stock of the flood situation in the state at a meeting. (ANI)

  • Rahul Gandhi spreading confusion, lies about COVID vaccination: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of spreading “misconceptions, confusion and lies” about COVID-19 vaccines, which was leading to many people “putting their lives in danger” by refusing to take the doses.

    He was reacting to a tweet by Gandhi in which the latter had taken a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio programme Mann Ki Baat.

    “Bas Har Deshwasi Tak Vaccine Pahucha Do, Fir Chahe Mann Ki Baat Bhi Suna Do!” (Just deliver the vaccine to every citizen, and then put forth your Mann ki Baat if you want),” Gandhi had tweeted.

    Hitting back, the MP CM said the PM was providing free vaccines to all while Gandhi was “only spreading confusion”.

    “Shame on you Rahul Baba, it is prime minister Narendra Modi who is getting people vaccinated and not you.

    The prime minister is providing free vaccines to all the citizens of the country and you are only spreading confusion! You spread confusion, lied due to which many people refused to get vaccines,” Chouhan said on Twitter.

    During the day, seeking to make people shed their reservations about vaccines against coronavirus, Modi spoke to residents of Dulariya village in MP’s Betul district, and the chat was aired on the PM’s monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast on Sunday.

    The MP CM further tweeted, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji today spoke to the villagers in Dulariya village of Betul district who were not getting vaccinated due to confusion.

    Explained it to them in simple words and the villagers started taking the vaccine.

    ” While the PM had removed the clouds of confusion about vaccination, the CM said Gandhi was “putting people’s lives in danger by lying, spreading misconceptions”.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM meets PM Modi, briefs him about efforts to check Covid spread in state

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday and apprised him about the efforts made by the state government so far to check the spread of coronavirus, according to an official statement.

    Apart from this, the chief minister gave details of the preparations being made by the state government to deal with a possible third wave of COVID-19, it said.

    Chouhan said a public awareness campaign would be launched in the entire state from June 21 for vaccination, in which all state cabinet members, MLAs and MPs would participate to motivate the public to get vaccinated, said the statement issued by the Madhya Pradesh Information Centre here.

    The public would be informed that vaccination is the only protective shield to prevent Covid, it said.

    He said the Madhya Pradesh government has the capacity to vaccinate 5 lakh people daily and by the end of December, about 70 per cent population of the entire state would be vaccinated, according to the statement.

    The chief minister said the central government has taken significant decision by taking the work of coronavirus vaccination in its own hands, which will have far-reaching consequences.

    “Prior to this, every state government was adopting different methods for purchasing the vaccine, due to which they did not get favourable results and the work of purchasing the vaccine became lax,” the statement said.

    “Now, under the leadership of the prime minister, the central government will purchase vaccines for all the states from the market without any discrimination and the people will be vaccinated free after distributing it to all the states,” it said.

    Chouhan also discussed with the prime minister the issues of farmers such as DAP (Di-ammonium phosphate) fertilizer and fair price to moong growers.

    He said the remunerative price for moong would prove to be a boon for the farmers.

    Expressing concern over the deteriorating economic condition of the states, Chouhan said the income of the state has come down significantly due to the ‘corona curfew’.

    He told the prime minister that last year, the states were allowed to take loans to the extent of 5.5 per cent of of GDP.

    Chouhan urged that this exemption should be continued in the current year.

    It may be noted that the central government has reduced the borrowing limit from 5.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent, the statement said.

    The prime minister listened carefully to all the issues raised by the chief minister and assured all possible assistance from the central government on handling of COVID-19 and other issues raised by him, it said.

  • PPE kit reuse video: Invoke NSA, Digvijaya Singh tells Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday said those involved in the washing and packing of used PPE kits for resale in Satna district in Madhya Pradesh must be charged under the stringent National Security Act.

    Singh, citing media reports on the issue, in a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said this was a “highly inhuman act” and was akin to “playing with the lives of others”.

    “Some news reports are stating that in Satna district’s Badkhera-based Indowater Biowaste Disposal Plant, PPE kits and gloves are being separated from the bio-medical waste arrived in the unit for safe disposal, and repacked after washing for selling them in the market,” he said in the letter.

    “It is surprising to know that this act was going on in the Badkhera unit for nearly a year and the government is not aware of it. It might be a very big scam,” Singh added, and asked Chouhan to book those involved in it under the NSA and ensure such stock was traced and destroyed.

    Meanwhile, Satna district Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rajesh Shahi told reporters the collector had ordered a probe after taking cognisance of the video showing PPE kits being readied for reuse in a unit in Badkhera.

    Pollution control board officials are carrying out the probe and action will be taken as per their report, Shahi added.

  • COVID-19 positivity rate falling in MP: CM Chouhan 

    In a video clip released to media outlets, the CM claimed quot;we have been successful in containing the pandemic quot; as the positivity rate was quot;falling day by day quot;.