Emphasis on school children’s nutrition, Simhastha Mahaparv prep: What Madhya Pradesh’s record Budget has in store

The Budget earmarks a substantial Rs 1.27 lakh crore for women-centric welfare schemes, with Rs 23,882 crore allocated to the Ladli Behna programme alone, underlining the government’s continued emphasis on direct income support. It also proposes the construction of 5,700 hostels for working women and the recruitment of 15,000 teachers, signalling parallel investments in social infrastructure and employment.

In the rural economy, farmers have been promised one lakh solar pumps to reduce energy costs and improve irrigation reliability. The Budget sets aside Rs 12,690 crore for road repairs, Rs 4,454 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission, and a significant Rs 40,062 crore for Panchayat and Rural Development — allocations that take on added political and administrative significance as the state heads towards local body elections in 2027.

Urban infrastructure also received a substantial push. Under the newly proposed Dwarkanagar Scheme, the government has set an investment target of Rs 5,000 crore over three years to accelerate ward-level development in urban local bodies. The Budget provides Rs 2,316 crore for urban housing, Rs 349 crore for city road repairs, Rs 3,467 crore under AMRUT 2.0, and Rs 1,057 crore in 2026–27 as a one-time grant to urban local bodies for basic civic services, reflecting a renewed focus on city-level delivery rather than only flagship projects.

With 2026 declared Farmer Welfare Year, agriculture and allied sectors emerged as one of the biggest gainers, receiving allocations exceeding Rs 1.15 lakh crore. The government said the emphasis would be on raising farm incomes, improving productivity and strengthening income security, reinforcing agriculture’s centrality to the state’s economic strategy.

Infrastructure development was projected as the Budget’s principal growth engine. A record capital outlay of over Rs 1.06 lakh crore has been proposed, factoring in extra-budgetary resources, underscoring the government’s belief that sustained public investment is critical to long-term growth and employment generation. Social sectors also saw steady increases, with Rs 31,953 crore earmarked for education, Rs 24,144 crore for health, and Rs 49,365 crore for improving overall living standards.

A major fiscal and administrative focus was reserved for preparations for the Simhastha, one of Hinduism’s most significant religious congregations, to be held in Ujjain. The government has approved works worth Rs 13,851 crore for the event, including the six-laning of the Indore–Ujjain road at an estimated cost of Rs 1,164 crore, a Rs 1,370 crore Indore–Ujjain Greenfield Highway, and a Rs 701-crore Ujjain bypass. For 2026–27 alone, a provision of Rs 3,060 crore has been made, with the government stressing time-bound execution to ensure smooth, dignified and large-scale management of the global event.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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