Shivraj Singh Chouhan created the ministry on the lines of Bhutan.
AB Wire
The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Friday cleared the proposal to set up a Ministry of Happiness, with a budget of Rs 3.80 crore per year but chose to call it a department.
It was Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who first spoke about forming Ministry of Happiness three months ago and with today’s decision Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to announce such a dempartmet.
Happiness department will coordinate among other departments and craft policies in a way to increase the level of happiness among its citizens. The officer who will head the department will get a salary of Rs 1.50 lakh per month
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is likely to head the department as minister, created the ministry on the lines of Bhutan which measures prosperity of people by Gross National Happiness (GNH). The term ‘Anand Vibhag’ was coined in 1972 by the King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
While floating the idea, Chouhan said material progress alone was not sufficient to make people happy. He said it will take value-based development, spiritual progress and an overall sense of wellbeing for people to lead happy and satisfied lives.
“It is first historic decision by any Indian state; there will be a department of Happiness and not the ministry. The state cabinet has okayed its formation today,” Narottam Mishra, cabinet colleague of Chouhan said.
“Other countries like Bhutan, the United States and United Nations have various other parameters for happiness indices but we are looking at spiritual happiness and happiness through knowledge in accordance with Indian philosophy to bring Happiness among people of the state” he added.