In what would be his third visit in five months to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Indore to inaugurate the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan that will be held on January 8, 9 and 10, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.
The chief minister’s announcement came after he met the PM in New Delhi earlier in the day. Chouhan said Modi will also inaugurate the Global Investors’ Meet of the state to be held on the back of Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan on January 11 and 12 at Indore.
Prime Minister Modi has made frequent tours to the state that is scheduled to go to polls in November 2023 during the past few months. He was in the state on September 17 to reintroduce Cheetahs at Kuno national park and in Ujjain on October 11 to inaugurate Mahakal Lok project.
Such events involving the PM bring high visibility to the projects and proposals of the BJP government in the state and the ruling party expects this to help it politically in the election year, political watchers feel.
Apart from the PM, Home Minister Amit Shah, another key leader of the ruling dispensation, has also made two visits to the state in August and October 2022.
A government note on Monday said during his meeting with PM Modi in New Delhi, the CM discussed the above two events as well the proposed meetings of G-20 summits and the Khelo India Youth Games to be held in the state next year.
The CM said representatives of more than 80 countries are coming to the Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan and will be welcomed according to the tradition of Madhya Pradesh. He said ministers, diplomats, industrialists and delegations from about 68 countries and ambassadors of 34 countries, including the President of Guyana and Suriname, will participate in the Sammelan as well as the Global Investors Summit to be held on January 11 and 12, 2023.
Apart from this, Chouhan also held discussion about the PESA Act implemented in the state with the PM and assured that the rights of the tribal brothers and sisters of Madhya Pradesh on forests, land and water will be secured and the rules made under the PESA Act in the state will help to keep their culture and traditions intact.
Chouhan also informed the PM about the floating solar plant project where solar energy will be generated by laying solar panels on surface of the dam at Omkareshwar. The need for additional land for the solar project will thus be dispensed off and water evaporation at Omkareshwar dam will also be reduced. Chouhan urged the PM to dedicate the project to the people, once ready. He also apprised the PM about the natural farming being done by 53,000 farmers of the state. Chouhan expressed gratitude to the prime minister for the guidance and cooperation being received from him for various schemes related to the development of the state.