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Shivraj Singh Chouhan bats for effective implementation of govt schemes

During review meetings, the minister also highlighted issues such as eligibility criteria for pension schemes and irregularities in the formation of DISHA committees

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Shivraj Singh, Shivraj

New Delhi: Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan addresses a press conference at the BJP headquarters, in New Delhi, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (Photo: PTI)

Sanjeeb Mukherjee New Delhi

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Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has underlined the need to remove barriers to the effective implementation and monitoring of government schemes while calling for curbs on the trade of spurious pesticides and seeds.

The minister, who took oath as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers last week, held a series of meetings with officials in his first week in office to take stock of the challenges faced by the agriculture sector and the farming community. He also held meetings with agriculture experts from outside the government and the head of the Supreme Court-appointed committee on making the Minimum Support Price (MSP) effective.
 
 
“In one of the meetings, it was pointed out that the eligibility criterion for disabled people for pension under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) was too tight. The minister ordered an immediate review of the scheme so that a maximum number of disabled people can become eligible for pensions,” said a senior official who participated in some meetings.
The minister also highlighted issues such as eligibility norms for pension schemes and irregularities in the formation of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHAs). He ordered a thorough review of the norms and plans regarding writing to the newly-elected MPs to ensure the regular functioning of DISHA meetings.

DISHAs were formed to ensure better coordination among all the elected representatives in Parliament, state legislatures, and local governments (Panchayati Raj Institutions/Municipal Bodies) for efficient and time-bound development. It is a government initiative that seeks to promote participative governance and deliberative democracy.

The new minister, a senior BJP leader and four-time former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, also said he aimed to promote a consultative and collaborative approach with the states to facilitate effective coordination and governance.

Chouhan directed the officials to combat the trade of spurious pesticides and seeds and ensure the supply of quality materials to farmers.

On the forthcoming programme on the distribution of PM-KISAN installment to farmers, the government has made plans to engage as many as 50 central ministers to interact with farmers. Around 2 crore farmers are expected to either physically or virtually participate in the programme.

The move comes in the wake of the BJP's reduced vote share in the rural areas in the 2024 general elections. Chouhan, who has deep connections with the rural populace, faces the significant challenge of addressing this electoral shift.

According to an analysis by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and Lokniti, the BJP and its allies saw a drop in their vote share in the rural areas, where the Congress and its allies gained. The slump underscores the importance of effective addressing of rural concerns for the ruling party.

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First Published: Jun 16 2024 | 11:41 PM IST

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