A road and a park each in 52 districts of Madhya Pradesh will be named after the flagship ‘Laadli Laxmi’ scheme of the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Wednesday. The roads will be known as ‘Laadli Laxmi Path’ while the parks will be known as ‘Laadli Laxmi Vatika’.
The chief minister’s announcement came after he unveiled a plaque naming the road between Bharat Mata (Depot) Square and Polytechnic Square in Bhopal as ‘Laadli Laxmi Path’ in the presence of young girls who are among the earliest beneficiaries of the scheme. Earlier the road was known as Smart Road.
Chouhan said that as a norm, roads are named after great personalities across the world, but this must be the first instance where girl children were being honoured with roads and parks named after them. He said that there is no greater respect than respecting the daughters and without this no society or country could progress.
He also planted 151 saplings along with scheme beneficiaries at a ‘Laadli Laxmi Vatika’ at the Smart Park in the capital. The CM said that such plantations were being carried out in presence of Laadli Laxmi beneficiaries in selected parks at all districts of Madhya Pradesh.
In another programme marking implementation of ‘Ladli Laxmi scheme 2.0’, organised as part of the Madhya Pradesh foundation day celebrations, the chief minister disbursed Rs 1.85 crores to the accounts of 1477 scheme beneficiaries who have now reached college level.
The Ladli Laxmi Scheme 2.0 has the provision of paying an incentive amount of Rs 25,000 in two installments to scheme beneficiaries for higher education.
The CM said that his beloved daughters (beneficiaries) will not only carve their own future, but also contribute to build the fortune of the country. Chouhan said his happiness knew no bounds because the girls whom he had held in his arms as babies are now at the brink of starting their college education.
The flagship scheme that rooted Chouhan politically
Political watchers feel that the renewed focus on the flagship scheme just a year ahead of the 2023 poll is a well thought strategy by Chouhan to give a push to his popular image.
The Laadli Laxmi has been one of the most successful and emulated schemes, launched by the Madhya Pradesh government in 2007 at the initiative of Chouhan in his first term as the chief minister.
This scheme, aiming at preventing sex-selected foeticides and infanticides that were prevalent earlier by changing the mindset of families and encouraging them to educate their daughters, offers monetary benefits at various levels of girls education and a provision of payment of approximately Rs 1 lakh when the girl beneficiary turns 21. Now the Ladli Laxmi Scheme 2.0 has provided an additional incentive for higher education of the beneficiary girls.
Chouhan got the tag of ‘mama’ (maternal uncle) and found a huge support base among women basically owing to this scheme and another flagship scheme called the ‘CM Kanyadan’ that provided monetary support for marriage ceremonies of daughters from poor families. Women’s support is thought to be a big reason for the political success of Chouhan who is currently in fourth term as the chief minister.
Priority should be to ensure safety, honour of daughters: Kamal Nath
The opposition Congress attacked the chief minister over his move to put a renewed focus on the flagship scheme through Wednesday’s events and announcements.
In a series of tweets, the ex-CM and MP Congress chief Kamal Nath said that the first priority in Madhya Pradesh should be to ensure safety and honour of the Laadli Laxmi daughters.
“Everyday, incidents of rapes with innocent girls are being reported in the state. Sisters and daughters are safe nowhere. Due to the repeated incidents there is an atmosphere of worry and fear among common people. But oblivious of this, the government is busy with poll events and gatherings. Government is free to organize many events and gatherings and launch different schemes, but it should also take requisite steps to ensure safety and honour of the Laadli Laxmis. There should be an atmosphere in the state where girls and women can move around without any fear and feel safe,” he said.
