Bhopal, Aug 15 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh government will shortly have an 'employment cabinet' to streamline efforts to provide and expand job opportunities for the youth, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.
Speaking at the Independence Day function at Motilal Nehru Stadium here, Chouhan said the special cabinet will work to make available all employment-related information at one place and generate job opportunities.
He said Madhya Pradesh has undergone an image makeover from being counted among the backward states of India to be regarded as a fast developing one.
"The whole state is now well connected with an expanding network of roads. Darkness is giving way to round-the-clock supply of electricity," Chouhan said.
The state's overall economy has been growing at 10 per cent with agriculture performing even better at a whopping 20 per cent.
Along with developing 'smart cities,' the effort of his government has been to develop 'smart villages' with drinking water, roads, power, education, Anganwadis and other vital services, he said.
Chouhan also said no one in the state will be without land-holding.
The state's irrigation capacity has gone up from 7.5 lakh hectares to 40 lakh hectares, he said.
Rivers are being inter-linked, he said, citing the example of the Narmada-Kshipra link project.
Madhya Pradesh now holds a much greater attraction for investors as a result of expanding infrastructure, receiving proposals worth 2.5 lakh crore after the Global Investors Summit in Indore in 2014, Chouhan said.
Earlier, Chouhan hoisted the national flag at the Independence Day function here and took the salute at the march past. The function saw large participation from enthusiastic school children.
Tricolours were also hoisted at government offices, schools and offices of political parties in Bhopal.
State ministers presided over Independence Day functions in 29 of the 51 districts of Madhya Pradesh. In other districts, District Panchayat presidents led the celebrations.
The occasion also witnessed Prabhat Pheris -- early morning walks with songs, cultural expression and a show of solidarity.