Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Madhya Pradesh on July 1, his second visit to the poll-bound state in less than a week. As per the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the PM will attend a public programme in Shahdol, where he will launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission and distribute sickle cell genetic status cards to the beneficiaries during his visit to the state.

“At around 3:30 PM, Prime Minister will attend a public programme in Shahdol, where he will launch the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission. He will also distribute sickle cell genetic status cards to the beneficiaries,” the PMO stated in a release.

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The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, announced in the Union Budget 2023, aims to address the pressing health challenges of sickle cell disease, particularly among the tribal population. 

This mission will be implemented in 278 districts across 17 high-focused states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.

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In addition to launching the mission, Prime Minister Modi will also kickstart the distribution of approximately 3.57 crore Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards in Madhya Pradesh. The distribution ceremony will take place at urban bodies, gram panchayats, and development blocks across the state. 

“During the programme, Prime Minister will honour Rani Durgavati, who was the ruling queen of Gondwana in the mid-16th century. She is remembered as a brave, fearless and courageous warrior who fought for freedom against the Mughals,” the release said.

Prime Minister Modi will also visit Pakaria village in Shahdol district around 5 PM. There, he will interact with leaders from the tribal community, Self-Help Groups, PESA committees, and captains of Village Football Clubs. 

Modi had visited Bhopal on Monday soon after his return to India following his state visits to the US and Egypt. It was during this visit that he set the ball rolling on the Uniform Civil Code as he made a strong pitch for its implementation in the country.


Polls in the state are due in November-December this year and the BJP will be hoping to return to power for a second term under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.