Bhopal Bureau. The Madhya Pradesh cabinet meets on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, and this time the agenda is unusually full. According to sources, the meeting will see a detailed presentation of the work done under the ‘Seva Sankalp’ campaign — the statewide outreach marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public life. Proposals to fix bus fares for Sandipani schools and to open Women and Child Development department offices in four newly formed districts are also likely to come up for discussion.
‘Seva Sankalp’ campaign: the report card
Launched on 17 September to mark the Prime Minister’s 25 years in public life, the Seva Sankalp campaign concludes on 17 October. According to sources, Monday’s cabinet meeting will review the campaign’s district-wise report card — the programmes organised, the beneficiaries reached and the works completed across Madhya Pradesh. The meeting may also take up the shape of the campaign’s closing ceremony, with a formal seal expected on the valedictory event’s outline once the presentation is complete.
Sandipani school buses: who fixes the fare?
The second major item on the table is the proposal to determine bus fares for Sandipani schools. According to sources, the government is considering vesting district collectors with the authority to fix these fares, so that rates can reflect ground realities in each district. The context is fresh: the Chief Minister recently inaugurated a new Sandipani school building in Narsinghpur and flagged off bus services for students there. If collectors get the fare-fixing power, districts will be able to set practical, locally tuned fares for school transport.
Four new districts to get WCD offices
The agenda also carries a proposal to open district offices of the Women and Child Development department in the newly formed districts of Pandhurna, Maihar, Mauganj and Niwari, along with measures to keep departmental schemes running smoothly in these districts. The move is seen as significant for strengthening the administrative framework in the new districts — district-level offices are essential if the benefits of welfare schemes are to reach the last person in the queue.
OBC quota row in the background
The cabinet meets at a time when the 27 per cent OBC reservation issue continues to simmer in the state, with a phased agitation announced from 15 October. Monday’s decisions will therefore be watched closely in both political and administrative circles.
File photo: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. Photo: Photo Division, Government of India (GODL-India via Wikimedia Commons).
File photo: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. Photo: Photo Division, Government of India (GODL-India via Wikimedia Commons). Featured photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav — photo courtesy: Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India (Wikimedia Commons).
