Madhya Pradesh CM announces ministry of happiness

BHOPAL: On lines of Bhutan which measures prosperity by gauging citizens' happiness quotient and not GDP, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced a

'happiness ministry

' to measure the state's progress.

"We will make a 'happiness ministry' to track our growth," said Shivraj Singh, while addressing a state BJP convention.

While United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the only country to create posts of minister of happiness in the government, Chouhan joined chorus to ensure that a welfare state cannot only deal with politics and economy.

"The state will be made responsible for happiness and tolerance of its citizens and will rope in psychologists to counsel people how to be always happy," said the chief minister.

Shivraj also related happiness to developments in the country, showering praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by putting him on the pedestal of god for the third time in three weeks. This time again he reiterated, "Modi is God's gift to the country''.

He said, PM had become the most popular leader in the world and was working to make India a strong and prosperous, hence happiness index plays an important role.

Earlier, on another two occasions, first in Vrindavan while addressing a convention of BJP's youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and then in Bhopal, he had said "Narendra Modi is a boon from God''.

On Thursday, he again said, "Modi is a man of ideas and has the will to execute them. Wherever in the world he goes, people chant his name. He is divine gift to India. He will make India 'vishwa guru' by 2022."