Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government constituted the Bundelkhand, Mahakoshal and Vindhya Development Authorities to run development schemes, but ironically these authorities are running only on paper. Not a single rupee has been allocated to them for development work.
According to the planning, economics and statistics department report of 2025-26, the three authorities are running only on paper.
Bundelkhand authority inactive amid fund shortage
The Bundelkhand Development Authority was constituted to develop the districts of Sagar division, like Sagar, Damoh, Panna, Chhattarpur and Tikamgarh.
These districts were facing acute water crisis and people in large numbers were migrating to different parts of the country in search of work. The Bundelkhand Development Authority was formed to check migration and to generate employment and water availability.
But for the year 2025-26, no funds were allocated and no provision made for the financial year 2026-27.
Mahakoshal Authority reduced to symbolic body: Ex-chairman
Former chairman of MDA Prabhat Sahu said that the state government never took the Mahakoshal Development Authority seriously.
Funds were allocated, but no helping hands were given to check the work. Only a peon, a clerk and head clerk formed the staff and I used my own vehicle to take a tour of the districts , he said.
He added that for past many years the state government was not providing funds for the authority to run the development work.
The MDA was formed by the state government in September 2008 with the vision of fostering the development of the seven districts of the Mahakoshal region: Jabalpur, Katni, Narsinghpur, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat and Chhindwara, but nothing significant has been done in the name of development and action planning.
The objective was to systematically plan for the new development possibilities in the region. But the authority has become a mere political appointment.
No money was allocated in the financial year 2025-26 and also for the coming year 2026-27.
Vindhya Development Authority fails to meet objectives
The Vindhya Development Authority was formed on September 27, 2008 to address social and economic backwardness of Rewa, Satna, Sidhi, Singrauli, Shahdol, Anuppur, Umaria, and Dindori districts.
Its stated purpose was to address economic and social backwardness in the Vindhya region s districts and accelerate development. It was also supposed to prepare development plans and submit them to the government. The authority failed to fulfil its stated objectives.
Some efforts were made during the first term, but the second term deviated from the objectives. The funds received from the government were spent arbitrarily. The authority was supposed to communicate with the people, find out about their needs and convey them to the government, but in real case nothing happened in favour of the region.
