Tribal Uplifting and Social Reform
Tribal Uplifting and Social Reform
Comprehensive tribal welfare and social reform initiatives transforming lives from poverty to progress
Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Scheme
The Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana, launched in June 2012, is a unique initiative for senior citizens of Madhya Pradesh, beautifully combining social welfare with a spiritual experience. Under this scheme, senior citizens aged 60 and above (58 for women) are provided a one-time, free pilgrimage to major religious destinations outside the state, including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Jagannath Puri, Dwarka, Haridwar, Amarnath, Vaishno Devi, Shirdi, Tirupati, Ajmer Sharif, the Golden Temple, and Kashi. During the journey, comprehensive facilities such as meals, accommodation, medical care, security, and transportation are provided, and citizens aged 65 and above or differently-abled individuals can travel with an assistant. In May 2023, for the first time, the scheme also introduced air travel, providing pilgrims with greater comfort and convenience. So far, approximately 8 lakh pilgrims have benefited from this initiative. The scheme not only ensures spiritual joy and fulfillment for senior citizens but also reflects Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's exemplary dedication and service to Madhya Pradesh, much like the devotion of Shravan Kumar. Under his leadership, this initiative has become a symbol of social welfare, community service, and a deep commitment to Sanatan traditions.
Mukhyamantri Residential Land Rights Scheme
The Mukhyamantri Residential Land Rights Scheme, launched on 11th November 2021 by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is an ambitious initiative aimed at providing free residential land plots to poor rural & urban families in Madhya Pradesh who do not own a house and possess less than five acres of land. Under this scheme, beneficiaries receive an official land ownership document, often registered in the joint names of husband and wife. This not only ensures them a legal right to land but also enables them to access bank loans and housing schemes to construct their own homes. By securing legal ownership, financial security, and social dignity, the scheme empowers the underprivileged to lead a life of stability and self-respect.
Mukhyamantri Charan Paduka Scheme
For years, poor and tribal families engaged in collecting tendu leaves for bidi and tobacco production have endured the hardships of walking barefoot in forests, suffering from thorns, blisters, and insect bites. This pain had become an unavoidable part of their labor and livelihood. Understanding these struggles deeply, Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Mukhyamantri Charan Paduka Yojana on 19 April 2018. Under this scheme, more than 1.5 million tendu leaf collector families in Madhya Pradesh have been provided with shoes, slippers, sarees, umbrellas, and water bottles. This initiative is not limited to the distribution of essential items; rather, it has become a symbol of ensuring safety, comfort, and a dignified life for the poor and tribal communities. In essence, this scheme reflects the compassionate vision of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, which places tribal upliftment and welfare of the poor at the very foundation of development.
Mukhyamantri Annapurna Scheme
The Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana is a significant initiative for the welfare of the poor under the leadership of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Under this scheme, families living below the poverty line in Madhya Pradesh are provided up to 25 kilograms of essential grains every month at highly subsidized rates, with wheat available at ₹3 per kilogram and rice at ₹4.50 per kilogram. Launched on April 26, 2008, the scheme has benefited over 05 cr poor families, ensuring them access to nutrition and a better standard of living. This initiative not only provides security to the needy but also reflects Shivraj Singh Chouhan's deep commitment to social welfare and equality.
Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Scheme
Earlier, destitute elderly, widows, abandoned, differently-abled, and poor citizens had to rely on others for their small daily needs and expenses, affecting their self-respect and quality of life. Recognizing these challenges, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Scheme. Initially, eligible beneficiaries received a pension of ₹600 per month, which has now been increased to ₹1,000 per month. With this pension, the elderly and needy can meet their daily necessities such as food, medicine, clothing, and household expenses independently, fostering self-reliance and dignity. Especially for widows and abandoned women, this scheme provides security, respect, and freedom in their lives. The Mukhyamantri Vriddhavastha Pension Yojana is not only a symbol of welfare for the poor but also a significant step toward empowering women and vulnerable sections of society.
Nutrition and Food Grant Scheme
It has always been a firm belief of Shivraj Singh Chouhan that holistic development is impossible without the empowerment of tribal communities. With this vision, the Poshan Aahar Anudan Yojana was launched, aimed at ensuring nutrition, health, education, and a life of dignity. The scheme not only provides women with financial support and self-reliance but also serves as an effective means to free families from the problem of malnutrition. Initiated for the state's Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups — Baiga, Bharia, and Sahariya — the scheme grants direct financial assistance of ₹1,500 per month to the woman head of each family. Every year, nearly ₹300 crore is directly transferred to the beneficiaries, bringing new energy, confidence, and hope into the lives of thousands of families. Undoubtedly, this initiative symbolizes the commitment to integrate tribal communities into the mainstream while laying a strong foundation for a prosperous, self-reliant, and healthy society.
Ration at Your Doorstep
The “Ration at Your Doorstep” scheme is an important initiative by Shivraj Singh Chouhan aimed at bringing positive change to the lives of poor and underprivileged families. Earlier, people in rural and remote areas, especially tribal communities, had to walk several kilometers to collect subsidized grains, which often meant losing a day's labor and income. Understanding their hardships, the system has now been designed to deliver ration directly to their homes. The scheme was launched in 89 tribal-dominated areas of Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of Birsa Munda Jayanti. This initiative goes beyond merely providing ration; it ensures that the dignity and rights of poor and tribal communities are protected, guaranteeing that no one in the state sleeps hungry and that every eligible family receives their entitled ration respectfully. “Ration at Your Doorstep” is truly a humane effort to bring smiles to faces that once struggled with hardships, allowing them to experience the light of development and welfare at their own doorstep.
Amrit Sarovar
Preserving Water as a Legacy of Amrit Kaal
Launched on April 11, 2022, under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Amrit Sarovar Abhiyan turned water conservation into a mass movement. Against the Government of India’s target of 3,900 Amrit Sarovars, Madhya Pradesh set an ambitious goal of 5,936 and by the end of 2022 had initiated construction on all, completing over 4,500. Self-help groups have been linked to these lakes for fish farming, water chestnut cultivation, and irrigation, turning conservation into livelihood creation.
River Linking Projects
Redefining Water Security
Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to implement a river-linking project under CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s leadership. The Narmada–Kshipra Link, launched in September 2018 at a cost of ₹1,856 crore, revolutionized irrigation and drinking water supply in the Malwa region. The Ken–Betwa Link Project, worth ₹45,000 crore, will irrigate 10 lakh hectares and provide safe drinking water to 50 lakh people. Similarly, the Parvati–Kalisindh–Chambal Link Project, with an investment of ₹72,000 crore, will extend irrigation to 2.8 lakh hectares across 13 districts, including Morena, Gwalior, Sheopur, and Rajgarh. These initiatives are transforming lives, securing agriculture, and ensuring water availability from home to field across Madhya Pradesh.
Mukhyamantri Sambal Scheme
Shivraj Singh Chouhan always says – “Serving the poor is worshipping God.” This thought is the soul of his politics and became the foundation of the Sambal Yojana. He has closely seen the struggles of poor and needy families – sometimes there was no money for a daughter's wedding, and sometimes a talented son had to leave his studies just because he could not pay the fees. As Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan decided that poverty would never become a wall between anyone and their dreams. In 2018, he launched the Sambal Yojana to ensure that every poor family lives a dignified and secure life. Today, Sambal Yojana has become a ray of hope for such families. The scheme pays the full fees for higher education of talented sons and daughters of poor families so that no dream remains incomplete. Arrangements have been made for daughters' marriages to be celebrated properly. Poor pregnant women are given ₹16,000 so that after childbirth they do not go back to work immediately but get proper rest. If any poor person meets with an accident, ₹2 lakh is given, and in case of death, ₹4 lakh is provided. Poor families are given affordable ration, employment, houses, and electricity at a flat rate of just ₹200 per month to free them from heavy bills. Shivraj Singh Chouhan's dream is that no son or daughter in Madhya Pradesh should be deprived of fulfilling their dreams because of lack of money. Sambal Yojana gives them the confidence that poverty is not a barrier. It brings back smiles and confidence in their lives. Shivraj Singh Chouhan's clear message is – “The welfare and upliftment of the poor is the goal of my politics. My efforts will continue until happiness reaches every poor brother and sister in my state.”
PESA Rules
In the august presence of President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, on 15 November 2022, Madhya Pradesh witnessed a historic moment when, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the PESA Act was implemented in the state. This step was not just a legal provision but a resolve to restore justice and self-respect to the tribal community. The Shivraj government ensured that the tribal community regained their traditional rights over water, forest, and land, and could become the true owners of their resources. Under this Act, Madhya Pradesh became the first state in the country to fully implement the PESA Act in 89 tribal-dominated development blocks across 20 districts.
The PESA Act has empowered the tribal society to decide the direction and decisions of their own development. Now, the patwari and forest department employees will visit villages once a year to show land maps and records to the Gram Sabha, and in case of any discrepancy, the Gram Sabha can recommend corrections. Decisions regarding mineral mines, sand and gravel contracts, use of ponds, fish farming, or water chestnut cultivation will now be taken by the Gram Sabha itself. The rights over forest produce like tendu leaves, mahua, harra, and baheda have also been given to the Gram Sabha, and they now have the authority to fix their prices. The PESA Act has not only empowered the tribal community economically but also strengthened them socially and culturally. The Gram Sabha can now inspect schools, anganwadis, ashrams, and hostels, conduct social audits of government schemes, and prepare the village development plan. No new liquor shop can open without the permission of the Gram Sabha, and it can also recommend closing the existing ones. Small disputes in the village will now be resolved by the peace committee of the Gram Sabha instead of going to the police station.
This Act gives the tribal community not only their rights but also the opportunity to preserve their culture and traditions. It ensures that no one can deceitfully or forcefully grab tribal land, nor convert their religion through allurements. The PESA Act is truly the biggest means of empowering the tribal community, making them self-reliant, and connecting them with the mainstream of development. This initiative of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has become an ideal example of tribal empowerment not just in Madhya Pradesh but across the entire country.
Tribal Pride and Cultural Renaissance
Shivraj Singh Chouhan believes that the true soul of India resides in its tribal traditions. These are the very heroes who, for centuries, sacrificed their lives to protect our culture and environment. As Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan not only remembered these heroes but also undertook a historic mission to ensure that their sacrifices inspire generations to come. The construction of a grand memorial for Tantya Mama Bhil at Patalpani at a cost of ₹4.55 crore, installing statues of Rani Kamlapati in Bhopal and Tantya Mama in Indore, renaming Patalpani Railway Station to Tantya Mama Railway Station, and renaming Habibganj Railway Station in Bhopal to Rani Kamlapati Railway Station — all stand as symbols of respect and honor for a tribal identity that had long been ignored. To ensure that children draw inspiration from these heroes, the biographies of Rani Avantibai, Raghunath Shah, and Shankar Shah were included in school curriculums. The Shivraj government worked to bring national recognition to these icons, with several being awarded the Padma Shri. In a landmark decision, November 15 — the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda — was declared a public holiday and celebrated as Tribal Pride Day. Beyond remembrance, Shivraj Singh Chouhan transformed the lives of tribal communities through powerful welfare initiatives. Schemes like the Tantya Mama Economic Welfare Scheme, Bhagwan Birsa Munda Self-Employment Scheme, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Economic Welfare Scheme, Chief Minister's OBC Enterprise and Self-Employment Scheme, and the Chief Minister's Vimukt, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes Self-Employment Scheme opened new avenues for the economic empowerment of these communities. In the sphere of culture, Shivraj Singh Chouhan's initiatives were equally remarkable. The establishment of the Triveni Museum in Ujjain after the Singhast Kumbh of 2016 sent a message to the nation about the depth and richness of India's roots. This museum preserves priceless heritage linked to Lord Shiva, Shakti, and Lord Krishna, along with the vibrant legacy of tribal traditions. Similarly, the Tribal Museum in Bhopal is a living celebration of Madhya Pradesh's major tribes — Bhil, Gond, Korku, Baiga, Sahariya, Bharia, and Kol — showcasing their way of life, rituals, customs, and art in a manner that mesmerizes every visitor.
