Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday, 5 October 2026, announced that the state has set an ambitious target to expand its irrigated agricultural area to more than 100 lakh hectares within the next five years, as part of a broader push to improve farmer welfare. The announcement was made during a programme in Harsud, Khandwa district, held to mark the 502nd birth anniversary of tribal queen Rani Durgavati.

Irrigation Expansion and Farmer Welfare

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Yadav said irrigation expansion would be a cornerstone of the state's efforts to uplift farmers. 'During the Krishak Kalyan Varsh, the Balram Krishi Mahotsav is being organised to provide farmers the benefits of various schemes. We have set a target of increasing the irrigated area to more than 100 lakh hectares in five years,' he said.

The government has also begun efforts to ensure farmers receive 10 hours of electricity during the day, a long-standing demand in agricultural communities. The administration is simultaneously speeding up the Karwani Lift Irrigation Project in Khandwa's Harsud area, while undertaking power infrastructure works worth ₹25 crore in tribal belts.

Key Development Projects Announced

CM Yadav laid the foundation stones for 18 development works in Khandwa, with a combined estimated cost of ₹142.90 crore. Among the major announcements:

Six Sandipani schools will be established in the Khalwa area, along with a new 490-seat girls' hostel in Harsud. A total of 40 new tribal hostels will be built at a cost of ₹161 crore, while ₹143 crore will be directed to ashram schools. E-libraries worth ₹18 crore and roti-making machines costing ₹34 crore will also be installed in hostels, along with heavy-duty water coolers.

Sports complexes are to be constructed across all Assembly constituencies in Khandwa, and a hi-tech nursery costing over ₹10 crore will be developed in the district. The Chief Minister Sugam Parivahan bus service, already launched in urban areas, will be extended to villages and tribal regions.

Tribal Development at the Centre

The event carried strong symbolic weight, with Yadav performing traditional Gond nature worship and offering prayers to Bada Dev before proceedings began. Descendants of royal families from 52 Garhs were honoured during the programme.

CM Yadav said Rani Durgavati's legacy conveyed enduring messages of national pride, self-respect, leadership under adversity, respect for women, water conservation, and protection of nature. 'The government is working with the resolve of development through heritage and is committed to bringing basic facilities and opportunities to people in tribal areas,' he said.

Broader State Development Targets

Yadav noted that 39 medical colleges and hospitals are currently operational across Madhya Pradesh, and 85,000 youths have been provided government employment. He added that welfare and development works worth ₹1 lakh crore are targeted for the state during the current year — a figure that underscores the scale of spending the government is projecting ahead of continued political consolidation in the region.

This comes amid a broader pattern of state-level announcements timed around cultural milestones, with the Rani Durgavati anniversary offering a platform to address both tribal constituencies and agricultural communities simultaneously. How quickly the irrigation targets translate into ground-level infrastructure will be closely watched by farmers and opposition alike.