Congress is facing the results of its ‘karma’, MP CM Mohan Yadav In a special interview with Akhilesh Singh of Toi And Prasinjit MundCriticizing the opposition for dedication to the same family, he suggested that its structure should have been democraticized instead. Before hosting Investment summit In Bhopal, Yadav believes in state change
PM Narendra Modi has talked about converting India into a $ 5 trillion economy. What will be the contribution of MP in this?
■ We are working on PM Modi’s vision and align our work in the same direction. We aim to double our economy in 5 years. The success of the MP will be counted in India’s development story. PM Modi It is said that India will be the third largest economy in the world. This can only be possible when every state contributes to achieving vision. Our aim is to cross the expectations. We will keep trying this.
Where do you see MPs tomorrow in terms of industry?
■ We want to make MP the number 1 state in the country. Our state has capacity and everything for it. Whatever we need to do is to create the most opportunities in the best interests of the state and our people. This is not a day’s work. We have to live with long -term vision and long -term goals. By exploiting MP’s capacity and more investment, we want to prevent brain drain from the state. The bright youth of MP are leaving the state to work in other cities or abroad. We will ensure that they get enough opportunities here so that they can contribute to the growth of their home state.
The promises of investment are part of every such summit. How will you ensure that plans will turn into reality?
■ Earlier, things were limited to speeches and things. We decided to work. We created new policies, taylormade for specific areas, and opened the state for investors. They will come only when they see that there will be determination to keep the prostitute and his word in the state. We know that it will not work if we do this once and sit back. We have been on this. We held regional condavs. I went out and held business meetings in India and abroad. When you do it every month, this work becomes part of culture and becomes part of a system. It takes speed. Since we are present on so many platforms, we meet industrialists. If someone promises investment, they will keep running somewhere or in another and the project will definitely be alive.
What are your plans to decentralize development and take it to small cities and villages?
■ every region of Madhya Pradesh Should develop and develop, which is why our plans include the entire state. Each district is unique, it has its own set of capacity and possibilities. The districts which are rich in minerals can excel in mining. Where agriculture is plentiful, there may be formbed growth. Religious tourism has its own inherent, almost autonomous economy in spiritual sites. This will also increase on a large scale. The MP has tremendous capacity in forests and wildlife tourism. We will increase the infrastructure to make it even bigger. After all, we have a brand of cheetah and ‘Tiger State’. Where roads and railway tracks are required, we are taking care of it. We look at the needs of today and tomorrow, and are flexible in our perspectives. For example, BRTS Bhopal was adversely affecting traffic, so we removed it. The need of yesterday is the past. We are planning for the future. And we are deciding fast. There is a big advantage in this.
Do you personally inspire to visit cities and Hardsel Madhya Pradesh as an investment destination?
■ I learned from PM Modi that when you sit in a state of responsibility, if you do not project your vision and immerse yourself completely in an attempt to achieve it, you will not succeed. When I was the President of Tourism Corporation, I followed this rule for myself. No new plant can grow until the seed ends its existence. If someone has a vision, then anyone has to lead the route. My presence makes a difference in such a meeting. I believe it reduces confidence and belief in the minds of investors. Apart from this, God’s blessings are also my way for hard work.
Madhya Pradesh won seven Krishi Karmana Awards. Do you also see the praise of the state winning industry?
■ We are already winning the award. We have found a ward in mining, tourism and education. We are one of the fastest growing economies in the country. Our GDP increased by about 9.4%in 2023- 24. We have also been honored for good governance. Our revenue reforms have been well appreciated. We are number 1 in agriculture, and we will soon be known as an industry power station.
How will you convince industrialists about the ease of doing business?
■ We have simplified the application and approval process. What were the first 28 permissions, now only 10 are required. Our intention is that when an investor thinks about coming to the MP, they must have already made their mind because they will meet here due to the environment. When an investor comes to us with a proposal, our aim is to give him all the approval in 28 days, maximum. Earlier, it had spread for six months for a year. They would be disappointed with uncertainty. We have simplified things.
The MP has long been political stability, and is a major area of operation for BJP and RSS. Do you see it as an opportunity or a challenge?
■ We gain a lot from the strength of our organization. We act like a family. Our work is not caused by someone’s post or designation but from a brain meeting. It is an administrative requirement that I am the Chief Minister, otherwise there are many experienced leaders who are more senior to me, which we respect and work with the right understanding.
A lot has been talked about the phrase ‘Double-Inan Sarkar’. How has Madhya Pradesh benefited?
■ Oh, we benefit from it. We do not have to think twice on so many issues. Take GST. We get about 1.25 lakh crore rupees from the center on this account. If this was not PM Modi’s government, then we could not even think about so many funds, that too on time. We are getting Rs 75,000 crore in the Ken-Betwa River-Linking Project to connect the first-or-other Parbati, Kalisind and Chambal (PKC) rivers in the world. We only have to pitch with 10% project cost, 90% comes from the center. It is the power of ‘double engine’.
What is the status of MP’s river-linking projects?
■ The projects dragged for 20 years but now Bhumi-Pujan has been demonstrated and tenders have been released. There is a new culture that has developed under PM Modi. The states first fought with each other while there should be solidarity. After all, we are part of the same country. Now we are not only working with Uttar Pradesh on this, but also sharing solar energy. In PKC River Linking, 13 districts will benefit from Rajasthan and MP each. Our relations with Rajasthan are great. We have another major project on the Tapti River with Maharashtra. Its purpose should be a way to work together for the betterment of common land and people. All this is possible due to the double-engine government.
Your government has banned liquor at 19 religious places and you said that this was the first step. Is your government working towards prohibition, and if yes, is there any time?
■ In many places in MP, we had a ban on alcohol. I said that alcohol should be completely banned at religious places. No half remedy. Like Ujjain, alcohol was banned in only 1 km circumference. I extended it to the entire corporation area. So with Omkareshwar, Datia, Orkh, Panna … If it is a panchayat, city council or municipality, the entire area will be freed from alcohol.
Will you go in the same direction?
■ Who has seen the future?
If you had to choose the top three industrial areas with the biggest capacity for growth of MP, what would they be?
■ I can name 13. We are very strong in the energy sector in all three forms-ate, pump-storage hydroelectric, which is big these days, and renewable energy. We are doing very good work in solar and wind energy. Electricity from MP is providing electricity to Delhi Metro. We sell electricity at the cheapest rates – solar per unit only Rs 2.10, where is selling the rest of the country for Rs 4. We are doing a service for the nation. Similarly, the mining area is very large for us. We have diamonds. And now gold mines too. We are a mineral-rich state. Agriculture has tremendous potential, of course. We want to convert into a powerhouse in lithium-ion battery manufacturing. Pharma firms are lining to enter MP. Our policies are proving to be very attractive for start-up and semiconductor. Tourism is one of our strength. We will do even better in this field. We are the first in the country to start air ambulances.
Will you be ready to reduce power tariffs for industries?
■ We are giving so much benefit to industries here, here too. We encourage them to set up a captive power plant.
The Congress was once strong here, but has become very weak. Don’t you think a weak protest is not healthy for democracy?
■ For him, the Congress will first have to believe in ‘Lok-Tantra’ (democracy). The Congress believes in ‘Parivar-Tantra’ (dynastic politics). Four generations ruled after independence like King-Maharaja. Congress should think about it. The BJP believes in a strong democracy. This is the reason that there is no CM of PM Narendra Modi’s family. Nobody of my family has ever been an MLA, minister or CM. It is also with Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal and Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi. There is a long line of such leaders. We are the flag-marketers of Lok-Tantra. The Congress is paying a heavy price for this. It cannot shake ‘Parivaravad’, which is why people are taking themselves away from it.
