New Delhi: Happiness may arguably be the most elusive chase for humankind, but the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has signed up to institutionalize its delivery. In a first for the country, MP cabinet led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has given a go ahead for the setting up of a 'Happiness department'.
Chouhan who’s idea it is, will be top boss of the department as it's minister. "Happiness will not come into the lives of people merely with materialistic possessions or development but by infusing positivity in their lives so that they don't take extreme steps like suicide in distress," Chouhan said.
The Department of Happiness, MP is inspired by the Gross National Happiness index, in operation in India’s Himalayan neighbour Bhutan. "While you cannot pray on an empty stomach, the attitude towards life is also important. Yoga, meditation can add to people's sense of contentment", added the CM of a state which has over three crore below poverty line (BPL) population.
The department will have an annual budget of Rs 3.80 crore for salaries besides other expenses. The officer who will head the Happiness department will draw a salary of Rs 1.50 lakh per month. The government will consult spiritual gurus like Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Sri Sri Ravishankar among others to develop a roadmap for happiness for the population of 73 milllion.
While initial reports in April called it a proposed ministry of happiness, MP’s latest governance initiative 'Anand Vibhag' will be a department, much like the directorate of Gopalan (cow rearing) in neighbouring Rajasthan.
Those picturing smiling faces painted all over the state should however, slow down. For a state that has been making national headlines for rampant child malnutrition, farmer suicides, and corruption driven mysterious deaths, sceptics feel the idea of a happiness department could just be a tool for an image makeover the state could completely do with. "It's just the BJP leaders in MP who continue to be in a state of happiness for the past 15 years. MP tops the dubious lists of crime against women, malnutrition and infant mortality rate. It's beyond us what sort of happiness are they celebrating", said Congress leader Mukesh Naik.
The department, as visualized by Chouhan, will organise yoga, meditation and cultural programmes among others to keep people happy. Wellness isn’t all that novel a concept for the BJP. Yoga, has been the party’s flagship success story and every BJP ruled state government has pursued Yoga at various levels. It could well have been the Yoga department except Happiness scales up the PR potential.
India ranks as low as 118th among 156 countries in the UN's World Happiness Report 2016, lower than Pakistan, China and Somalia. MP which has positioned itself as the 'heart of the country' in it's tourism campaigns now sees itself as the perfect place to begin delivering smiles.
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