Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh state government, during a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Dr Mohan Yadav on Wednesday, decided to waive penalty on unpaid irrigation water tax for all farmers. Interest amount totalling to Rs 84 crore is expected to be waived.If farmers pay the principal amount of their total outstanding dues by March 31, 2026, the interest amount will be waived. As of March 31, 2025, total outstanding dues were Rs 647.67 crore (principal Rs 563.29 crore and interest Rs 84.17 crore). The government expects to waive Rs 84.17 crore in interests (penalty).The decision is likely to benefit around 35 lakh farmers across the state.The cabinet also approved procurement of summer moong and urad crops under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) of the Government of India for the rabi marketing years 2023–24 to 2025–26. Free government guarantee for excess procurement beyond targets for Rabi 2024–25 was also approved. The MP State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed) will be the designated procurement agency.Further, Wednesday’s meeting approved creation of a new organisational structure comprising 77,298 posts for the three power distribution companies, including 49,263 new regular posts. Previously sanctioned unused 17,620 posts were abolished and 5,650 “dying cadre” posts will be eliminated after retirements or resignations. Existing contractual employees may continue till they reach the age limit or are selected for regular posts. Direct recruitment will consider the number of equivalent contractual employees already working in those roles. The Energy Department has been authorised for timely recruitment.The cabinet also approved the utilisation of Rs 1,038 crore out of a total Rs 1,478.38 crore for the implementation of approved works under the Annual Plan of Operation (2025–26) of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA Fund). As per the plan, 80% of this amount will be spent on forest and wildlife management, and 20% on strengthening forest and wildlife-related infrastructure.The approved activities include maintenance of past afforestation works, compensatory plantation, restoration of degraded forests based on landscape approach, afforestation in river catchment areas for river rejuvenation, soil and water conservation works, plantation of bamboo and other species near village forest boundaries to support rural livelihoods. Also included are voluntary relocation of villages from wildlife-protected areas, development of residential infrastructure in buffer and protected zones, establishment of urban forests, strengthening of forest and wildlife infrastructure and capacity building of local communities.Also, the cabinet approved the establishment, operation, and construction of 66 new Anganwadi centres under the Saksham Anganwadi and Nutrition 2.0 Scheme and the Dharti Aba Tribal Village Utkarsh Abhiyan. Approval was granted for 66 Anganwadi Worker (voluntary) posts, 66 Anganwadi Helper (voluntary) posts, and 2 regular Supervisor posts (Pay Scale: Rs 25,300–Rs 80,500). An estimated Rs 15.21 crore will be spent on the scheme during 2025–26 to 2028–29, including Rs 9.55 crore from the centre and Rs 5.66 crore from the state.
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