The state of Madhya Pradesh is committed to fostering environmental sustainability and empowering women through the ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ project. This project, spearheaded by the state government, aims to uplift women’s self-help groups financially and socially. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav inaugurated this campaign under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which involves women’s self-help groups planting fruit-bearing trees on their private land. The initiative is gaining momentum, with the Khandwa district taking the lead in orchard development, followed by Singrauli.
There is considerable enthusiasm among the women involved in the project. To date, 10,162 women have been approved for participation. The state government is allocating Rs. 1000 crore to cover various expenses, including providing security for the plants, installing fencing, purchasing saplings, procuring fertilizers, digging planting pits, and constructing irrigation water tanks with a capacity of 50,000 liters.
While the project aims to benefit 31,300 women’s groups, over 40,406 women have registered through the ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ app, exceeding the initial goal. The initiative covers 9,662 gram panchayats across 313 blocks in all districts. A survey was conducted in 10,162 villages, resulting in the registration of 40,406 women. Each block has selected at least 100 beneficiaries. The project also includes providing training to the women twice a year.
The project officially commenced on August 15th and will continue until September 15, 2025. The tree planting is monitored by the Madhya Pradesh Electric Development Corporation Limited using drones, providing detailed information on land selection, pit digging, and sapling conditions. Modern techniques, like the use of SIPRI software, are being employed for scientific land selection. The software assesses climate conditions, soil suitability, and water availability to determine the optimal locations for planting specific fruit-bearing trees. If land is deemed unsuitable, planting does not occur. Training has been offered to ensure the effective implementation of the project.
The ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ project will see the planting of over 30 lakh fruit-bearing trees on the private land of 31,300 women’s self-help groups, thus boosting their economic prospects. A dedicated dashboard tracks the progress of tree planting and facilitates supervision. The performance of districts is monitored daily, with awards for the top three districts, ten Janpad Panchayats, and 25 gram panchayats. To qualify, the participating women must possess between 0.5 and 1 acre of land. As of September 3rd, Khandwa, Singrauli, Betul, Dewas, and Agar Malwa districts are at the forefront of the initiative, with Khandwa, Chitrangi, Pandhana, Punasa, and Khalwa blocks also showing strong performance.