EDISON (TIP): The meet and greet program organized by Overseas Friends of Bhartiya Janata Party (OFBJP-USA) in honor of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh was a great success with hundreds of enthusiastic BJP supporters, friends of Madhya Pradesh and NRI’s thronging the venue to listen to their beloved chief minister who has transformed Madhya Pradesh into one of the top performing states in all fields.

Anand Jain (NJ Co-Convener, OFBJP) welcomed the audience and the chief guest. After the traditional lighting of the lamp and rendition of United States and Indian national anthems, attendees observed a moment of silence in the memory of the departed BAPS Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Krishna Reddy (President, OFBJP) briefly described various activities of OFBJP. He mentioned that OFBJP is actively engaged with various organizations in taking up the issues NRI’s face here with the right channel and help find solutions to them. OFBJP has embarked on the path of reaching to NRI’s regularly through its monthly newsletter which would be later inaugurated by the CM of MP. He invited the audience to connect with OFBJP as it is the best platform available to serve our motherland and also to work for the welfare of the Indian diaspora.

Addressing a huge gathering Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he was very happy to be amongst the NRI’s and humbled by their love for the mother India. Wherever Indians went they were successful and the fact that we have a big presence in Silicon Valley and one in every six American visits a doctor of Indian origin for treatment speaks volumes of our success here. India under the able leadership of Shri Narendra Modi is marching ahead and has become a bright spot among the world economies in a short span of two years. We have left China behind with 7.4% growth rate and policy paralysis is a thing of the past. After Modi government took over the country especially the youth are brimming with confidence.

Madhya Pradesh (MP) a state once called a sick and backward state is one of the top performing states in the country now. The state has shown double digit growth consistently and had won awards not only during the current NDA rule but also during UPA regime. The state has good road connectivity, 24×7 power, good law and order and stability, and a government that is working round the clock for the welfare of its people.

There was a time over a decade ago when people would have to be happy for getting electricity for few hours a day but now with more than 16k Megawatt capacity the state not only provides 24×7 power to its households and industries but also sells excess power to other neighboring states. The state had already realized our ex-PM Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream of river interconnectivity by connecting most of its major rivers like Narmada, Shipra and others and help bring over 16 lakh hectares of land under irrigation.

The state of MP is first in implementing many welfare schemes for its poor and for the girl child. Having realized the alarming difference in the sex ratio of males vs females in the state, we implemented Ladli Lakshmi Yojana, a scheme under which the state deposits Rs. 30,000 when a girl child is born and as she grows and pursues her education few more increments of money are deposited and finally at the age of 21 the family gets around 2 lakh rupees. This is in addition to providing all the necessary things for the education of girl child, like school uniform, books, and bicycles. Madhya Pradesh is the first state to have implemented 50% of reservation to women in its local bodies. We are a state that practices woman empowerment in every walk of life and standing as a role model for other states in India.

The state of Madhya Pradesh has become a best destination for investment with its stable law and order and good governance; and has already attracted investments worth few lakh crores. The state already has land-banks from which land can be allotted for industries in short span of time. Indore has become a fast growing industrial city. The state government also promotes

entrepreneurship by giving loans to its youth without any guarantee from parents or anyone else. Several Universities have been started; many Technical institutes have been modernized to impart skill development to its youth. The state supports the entrepreneurs with Technology, Marketing and Finance which has become a paradigm shift in the model of good governance.

The state exhibited a glimpse of its effective governance and tourism during the Simhastha Kumbh Mela held this year. Over 8 crore people came to the town of Ujjain, a small town with a population of 7 lakh and on the last day of the event over 1 crore 20 lakh pilgrims took a holy dip. The event passed off peacefully and the best of the facilities were provided to all the visiting devotees. The state government is going a step further and researching into things that would make its people happy and started a Department for Happiness which comes up with its report and the state tries to implement its suggestions.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that BJP is a party with a difference and nationalism is its core ideology. During the recent BJP Chief Ministers meet, the party came up with a proposal to implement policies and projects that will ensure food, clothing, housing, education, cleanliness and medical treatment for all the under privileged sections of their respective states. This is on the lines of the principle of Antyodaya and Integral Humanism of Late Deen Dayal Upadhyaya which considers poorest of the poor as gods and their upliftment is of the foremost importance to the party. He reiterated that the party is committed to ensure the benefits of development reach the last man in the social strata. Just as a Narendranath Dutt (Swami Vivekananda) who a century ago preached the ancient Hindu concept of Vasudaiva Kutumbkam (The whole world is a family), we currently have another ‘Narendra’ in the form of Shri Narendra Modi who is striving hard to take India to the pinnacle of glory (Vishwaguru) and very soon world will realize the true potential and power of India.

Mr. Chouhan congratulated the Indian diaspora for their achievements and contributions in the fields of IT, Medical and other sectors here in US. He invited the NRI’s to share their ideas, knowledge and promised that the government of MP will extend help in every possible way if they come to invest in the state. He appealed to the NRI’s to visit the state not just as an investor but as a tourist too to visit world famous Khajuraho, Sanchi, Mahakahal, wild life sanctuaries, tiger reserves and enjoy the hospitality of one of fastest growing states of India. Mr. Chouhan’s speech was marked by several rounds of applause throughout and he received a standing ovation after his speech.

Earlier, Rajendra Shukla (Minister for Industries, Madhya Pradesh) spoke briefly about the benefits of investing in Madhya Pradesh and how the state has transformed into a best performing state under the able leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The state has all the things needed for investment like power, roads, infrastructure and best of all a government that would work with the investors to help setup their industries. He appealed to the NRI’s to choose MP as an investment and tourist destination and thanked them for the love and affection shown by them towards India and Madhya Pradesh.

During the program, Shivraj Singh Chouhan officially launched the OFBJP monthly newsletter published by the OFBJP External Communications team lead by Adapa Prasad and Aravind Modini which would carry articles, news, and analysis about the achievements of Modi and other BJP state governments and local OFBJP activities. This newsletter would eventually take the message of good governance in India and the positive work done by OFBJP here in USA to the lawmakers, think-tanks, other Indian organizations and OFBJP members. Bhushan Tadepalli (National Council member, OFBJP) had the honor of introducing Shivraj Singh Chauhan to the audience.

(Based on press release issued by External Communications Cell, OFBJP-USA)