Confident of BJP making a clean sweep in Madhya Pradesh: CM Mohan Yadav

Yadav says that his party would secure a clean sweep in MP and also achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of "400 paar"

After having just concluded nearly 300 rallies and roadshows in Madhya Pradesh (MP), Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is tasked by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to campaign for candidates in other states, too. Retiring for the day after holding rallies in Bundelkhand and Delhi recently, Yadav over a dinner interview with Nitin Kumar at Madhya Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi says that his party would secure a clean sweep in MP and also achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of "400 paar". He also outlines his vision for MP’s development. Edited excerpts: 

The 2024 Lok Sabha election is the first political battle under your leadership in the state. The BJP won 28 of 29 seats in MP in the 2019 polls. What’s the target this time, and what’s your strategy to achieve it?

In 2014, we secured 27 seats, and in 2019, our tally rose to 28, demonstrating the strengthening of our party’s roots with each election. This time, our efforts have been even more vigorous and we are confident of making a clean sweep in MP. 

We are highlighting our development work accomplished at both central and state levels, ranging from job creation, education, and skill development to curbing corruption, and even making scientific advancements, including India’s space missions. We’ve also effectively conveyed the importance of electing a candidate from the grassroots for the only seat — Chhindwara — that remained out of our reach in 2019.

An individual and his family shouldn’t hold onto a seat forever. (Congress leader) Kamal Nath secured victory in Chhindwara nine times, while his wife and son each won once. This era isn’t about monarchy, it’s about the common people’s choice. 

We have shattered this narrative: This message has been well-received by the electorate, and we appreciate their support.  

The PM has set a target of “400 paar” this time. Is it possible?

Besides campaigning for BJP candidates in MP, I am campaigning for our candidates in other states. With the strong support that I see for the PM and the work done by the BJP over the past 10 years, I am confident that we will achieve the target of "400 paar".

Since taking up the reins in December, what has been your strategy for ensuring the BJP’s success in the 2024 election and beyond?

In MP, we’re harnessing its diverse resources for economic growth and job creation. Our focus is on three key areas: Boosting agriculture, advancing manufacturing, education and IT industries, and tailoring industries to regional strengths. 

These include bringing mining-related industries to resource-rich areas and job-generating industries to densely populated regions.

Also, we’re upgrading infrastructure, focusing on enhancing railway and aviation connectivity to benefit both MP and national logistics. We’ve initiated air taxis, air-ambulances, and helicopter services for various sectors.

Lastly, we’ve revamped budgeting to incorporate proposals from local representatives, empowering them while ensuring efficient resource allocation. Since December 2023, proposals worth Rs 4,000 crore have been requested from MLAs and MPs. The involvement of local representatives, alongside bureaucrats, will expedite the pace of growth in our state.

These collaborative approaches, coupled with infrastructure development and strategic industrial growth, help us build Madhya Pradesh as the Number 1 state in this new era. 

Unemployment is a major challenge nationwide. In MP, 3.5 million young people are jobless. What is your government’s strategy towards providing employment opportunities? 

Though we are majorly an agrarian state, our focus is on increasing workforce participation across all sectors, ranging from the agrarian to services sectors. To boost farmer’s income, we have diversified the crop cultivation options. Also, subsidies, MSP purchases, and bonuses are being given to help farmers. 

We are developing a new scheme to boost milk production by providing incentives to farmers as it is a major source of income for millions of households in MP. This will also help increase farmers’ household income.

We're prioritising the manufacturing and services sectors to generate employment opportunities. For example, startups and their incubator centres are being actively promoted with an allocation of around Rs 100 crore.

We have planned an overhaul for the state’s education system, prioritising skill-based practical knowledge needed for jobs in today’s tech-driven world. 

I’m confident that these initiatives will help us overcome the unemployment issue.

MP’s debt exceeded Rs 3.3 trillion in FY23. What is your strategy to address the state’s fiscal deficit and promote sustainable economic growth?

As far as sustainable economic growth is concerned, we are actively working to implement schemes, reforms and policies that are important to elevate the economic status of the state, while adopting sustainable, environment-friendly approaches.

Additionally, we're continuously monitoring state expenditures and trimming unnecessary ones. For instance, we consolidated health education and health departments to bolster hospital manpower and access additional funds from the Centre.

Such a strategy is being adopted across sectors, such as the agriculture sector -- instead of opening new institutes/universities, our focus has been on establishing agriculture centres within existing universities and increasing student intake (seats) for agriculture science courses. 

Likewise, we are also aiming to increase the efficiency and productivity of existing sectors through various planned interventions. One such example is mine auctions. In just three months of our government, MP has become the top state in the mining sector by auctioning the highest number of mines across the country. 

What were the major achievements of the recently held ‘Invest Madhya Pradesh: Regional Industry Conclave’ in Ujjain? Are you planning more such conclaves?

The MP Industry Conclave was a resounding success, drawing diverse global participation. Proposed investments of over Rs 1 trillion from 900 industries were received. More conclaves are planned across six regional areas and at the district level.

To bolster economic growth, we’re also considering boundary delimitation for districts, akin to what we did for police stations. Some districts have a population exceeding 2 million, while others have populations as low as 500,000. Of the 55 districts, 30 have a population less than 1 million. This initiative will drive growth at the district level.

Investment announcements at conclaves often don’t materialise. Do you have a plan to ensure that these investments lead to tangible outcomes?

We’re confident about investments in MP. We don't just announce; we deliver. Every commitment will materialise soon. With a vast land bank of around 100,000 acres, we’re fostering a business-friendly environment. Our focus is on building top-notch infrastructure and amenities. Indian and global conglomerates are eyeing MP for strategic investments. We’ve already received over 100 proposals after the conclave.

Are there plans to create new districts?

We haven’t planned for this, but if the need arises, we will work on it.