Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 1 interacted with the leaders of the Tribal Community in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol. He also held one-to-one conversations with the members of self-help groups, leaders of PESA Committees. PM Modi also sought blessings from tribal women. The players of village football clubs in Pakaria of Shahdol district were also encouraged by PM Modi. Earlier in the day, PM Modi distributed AB-PMJAY cards and launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission. Notably, PM Modi was in Madhya Pradesh for various development programs as a part of the elections campaign for Legislative Assembly Polls that are scheduled to be held in or before November 2023. During his visit, apart from the distribution of AB-PMJAY cards he also launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission. The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2023. As per reports, this will be implemented in 278 districts of 17 high-focused states in the country namely Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.