'Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam' Project

• 21 Aug 2025

Why in News? 

In an ambitious move to empower women and promote sustainable agriculture, Madhya Pradesh has launched the ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ project, aiming to develop orchards on the private lands of Self-Help Group (SHG) women.  

Key Points 

• Project Overview: The project is part of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and is set to benefit more than 31,000 women across the state. 
  • Over 34,000 women have already registered through the dedicated ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ app.  
  • The government is providing essential resources like saplings, manure, irrigation tanks, and barbed-wire fencing for protection. 
• App-Driven Selection Process: The selection of beneficiaries is being done exclusively through the ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ app, developed by M.P. State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (MPSEDC) under the guidance of the MGNREGA Council.  
  • Only women with 0.5 to 1 acre of land are eligible to participate in the project. 
  • In cases where the beneficiary woman does not own land, plantations may be carried out on land owned by her husband, father, father-in-law or son, subject to their consent. 
• Beneficiary Details and Training: At least 100 eligible women are being selected in each block for the project.  
  • These women will receive bi-annual training on orchard management, including fertilizer use, irrigation, pest control, and intercrop cultivation to ensure proper care and growth of their orchards. 
• Support Through Krishi Sakhis: For every 25 acres, one Krishi Sakhi (Agriculture Companion) will be appointed to support beneficiaries, providing hands-on guidance and advice on sustainable farming practices, including the preparation of organic fertilizers and pesticides. 
• Monitoring and Transparency: Plantation activities will be closely monitored through drone and satellite imagery, ensuring transparency. 
  • A separate dashboard has also been created for supervision. Based on performance, the top 3 districts, 10 Janpad Panchayats and 25 Gram Panchayats will be awarded.  
• Leading Districts for Beneficiary Selection: The districts leading in beneficiary selection include Singrauli, Dewas, Khandwa, Niwari, and Tikamgarh, which have shown active participation in the project. 
• Potential: More than 31,000 SHG women will benefit from this project, which will plant over 3 million fruit-bearing trees on their private land, laying the foundation for women's economic empowerment.