Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 17 (ANI): Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is 'bringing great gifts to our region' as he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple National Highway projects worth approximately Rs 4,400 crore in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha parliamentary constituency.

Gadkari is set to inaugurate and perform the bhoomi pujan for eight National Highway projects, including the Raisen-Vidisha National Highway and road stretches connecting Vidisha, Gyaraspur, Rahatgarh and Sagar.

Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted the significance of the projects for regional connectivity and development.

'He is bringing great gifts to our region. He will lay the foundation stone for the construction of the Raisen-Vidisha National Highway, Vidisha-Gyaraspur, Gyaraspur-Rahatgarh, and then after Rahatgarh, Sagar, which falls in the Sagar Lok Sabha constituency,' Chouhan said.

'Today, Nitin Gadkari is inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of development works costing approximately Rs 4,400 crore for the people of the Vidisha parliamentary constituency,' he added.

Meanwhile, a day earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred financial assistance of Rs 1,836 crore to over 1.25 crore 'Ladli Behna' beneficiaries and over Rs 90 crore as a subsidy for gas cylinder refilling to 29 lakh beneficiaries under the 'Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala' Yojana.

CM Yadav also performed the bhoomi-pujan and inaugurated various development works worth Rs 206 crore for the Sohagpur Assembly constituency in Narmadapuram district, including the newly constructed Circuit House at Makhan Nagar, on the occasion, according to an official release.

Addressing the occasion, the Chief Minister said, 'Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to work in mission mode on the four pillars of development--the poor, youth, farmers, and women, with a focus on empowerment. The state government is consistently working toward women's empowerment. The 32nd instalment of the 'Ladli Behna' Yojana has been transferred to the accounts of over 1.25 crore sisters.'

The CM highlighted that the state government is gradually increasing the assistance amount under the 'Ladli Behna' Yojana. The government will also support women with Rs 5,000 for employment-linked industrial work. Women are being given an additional 2 per cent concession on property registration. (ANI)