State PCS - Madhya Pradesh (MP PCS)

• 21 Aug 2025

'Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam' Project

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.

Sampoornata Abhiyan

Why in News? 

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has lauded the ‘Sampoornata Abhiyan’ for its transformative impact on aspirational districts in Madhya Pradesh.  

• The Abhiyan has driven development in backward districts, improving maternal health, child immunization, soil health card distribution, electricity in schools, and textbook availability, while enhancing governance, administrative efficiency, and fostering healthy competition among districts. 

Sampoornata Abhiyan 

• About: ‘Sampoornata Abhiyan’ was launched  by NITI Aayog as a nationwide campaign aimed at achieving 100% saturation of 12 key social sector indicators in 500 Aspirational Blocks and 112 Aspirational Districts across India.  
  • The campaign, which ran from 4th July to 30th September 2024, focused on health, nutrition, agriculture, social development, and education. 
• Key Focus Areas: The campaign’s main objective is to ensure complete saturation of critical social sector indicators, including: 
  • Maternal Health: Timely registration of pregnant women for Antenatal Care (ANC). 
  • Child Immunization: Ensuring full immunization for children aged 9-11 months. 
  • Soil Health: Distribution of Soil Health Cards and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. 
  • Infrastructure: Providing electricity to secondary schools and ensuring the timely distribution of textbooks. 

Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) 

Programme	Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)	Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP)
Launched	2018	2023
Aim	To quickly and effectively transform 112 districts across the country.	For saturation of essential government services in 500 blocks (329 districts) across the country.
Themes	Health & Nutrition  Education  Agriculture & Water Resources  Financial Inclusion & Skill Development  Infrastructure	Health & Nutrition  Education  Agriculture and Allied Services  Basic Infrastructure  Social Development
Number of Indicators	81	40

Highest Infant Mortality Rate in MP

Why in News? 

Madhya Pradesh has been reported to have the highest infant mortality rate (IMR) in India, with 40 out of every 1,000 newborns dying in the state, according to statistics revealed by Deputy CM and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla in the state assembly. 

Key Points 

• According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2022 data from the Registrar General of India, Madhya Pradesh’s IMR (40) is not only above the national average (26), but also the highest among all states. 
  • In an effort to combat this issue, the government has allocated Rs 110 crore for various health schemes and initiatives, including programs such as Anaemia Mukt Bharat, nutritional rehabilitation centres, and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, among others. 
• Causes of Infant Deaths: The primary causes of infant deaths in Madhya Pradesh include premature birth, pneumonia, sepsis, low birth weight, birth asphyxia, and diarrhea.  
  • The government has listed these factors as key areas of focus in its efforts to reduce IMR.

Zero Maternal and Infant Deaths in MP’s Gram Panchayats 

On Independence Day, the Madhya Pradesh National Health Mission (MP-NHM) recognized the outstanding efforts of grassroots healthcare workers and community leaders who achieved remarkable results in maternal and child healthcare.  

• Achieving Zero Deaths in Dhakoni: Dhakoni Gram Panchayat, with a population of 8,107, successfully reported zero maternal and infant deaths for two consecutive years.  
• Efforts in Garauli Gram Panchayat (Chhatarpur): Similarly, Garauli Gram Panchayat in Naugaon block, Chhatarpur district, with a population of 6,598, also reported zero maternal and infant deaths over two years.  
• Institutional Deliveries in Ratlam: In Ratlam district, Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Rawti, Bajna block emerged as a leader in institutional deliveries for 2024-25. 

First Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025

Why in News? 

The inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) 2025 will be held at Dal Lake from 21st August 2025 to 23rd August 2025, with over 400 participants competing in rowing, canoeing, and kayaking. 

• This will be the 2nd Khelo India event in Jammu & Kashmir, following the Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg, further establishing the region as India’s winter sports hub. 

 

Key Points 

• About: KIWSF 2025 is being organised jointly by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council under the government’s Khelo Bharat initiative. 
• Objective: It aims to expand grassroots sports, generate local employment, and upgrade infrastructure. 
• Events: It will be the first consolidated Open-age category championships where all 14 kayaking and canoeing events and the 10 rowing events are Olympic events.  
  • There will also be three demonstration events – water skiing, shikhara boat spring, and dragon boat race. 
• Qualifications: The November 2024 kayaking and canoeing nationals in Tehri (Uttarakhand) served as a qualifier, with the top 15 in singles and doubles, and the top eight in fours, advancing to KIWSF. 
  • For rowing, the top eight from the nationals held in Bhopal in March 2025 will take part. 
• Participants: The KIWSF will include athletes from 36 states and Union Territories, with the absence of a Services team. 
  • The Games will feature almost equal representation, with 409 athletes competing for medals, including 202 women. 
  • Madhya Pradesh (44), Haryana (37), Odisha (34), and Kerala (33) will have the largest contingent at KIWSF 2025.  
  • Gujarat, Puducherry, and West Bengal will have the smallest teams.

Khelo India 

• Launched by the Indian government in 2017, Khelo India aims to revitalize the nation's sporting culture by engaging children at the grassroots level and enhancing infrastructure and academies for various sports. 
  • The initiative began with the Khelo India School Games in 2018 in New Delhi, and after the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) joined in 2018, the games were renamed to Khelo India Youth Games, with the first edition held in Pune in 2019. 
• The Khelo India movement introduced the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), Khelo India University Games (KIUG), and Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) as annual national sports events where youth from various states and universities showcase their skills and compete for medals. 
  • A new addition to the Khelo India calendar, the Khelo India Water Sports Festival and the Khelo India Beach Games, which took place in Diu in May 2025, highlight the expansion of events under this initiative. 
• The Khelo India Youth Games, which started in 2018 with 18 sports, expanded to 27 sports in 2025 when held in Bihar, with competitions organized in the Under-17 and Under-21 categories for both boys and girls. 
• The Khelo India Centres initiative, part of the Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) scheme, focuses on strengthening sports infrastructure at the grassroots level in India.