Madhya Pradesh to be the first state to set up Department of Happiness

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Friday cleared a proposal to set up a Department of Happiness or Anand Vibhag. With this, MP would become the first state in the country to have such a department.

Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that economic prosperity is not the sole indicator of happiness and it is important that the self, mind and the soul is truly happy.

"Food, clothing, housing, education and health are the basic needs of humans, but there are also other needs. These needs include positive outlook towards life, level of satisfaction and support of society during times of crisis," said Chouhan.

SPECIALISTS TO ADVISE GOVERMENT

He said that specialists who would advise the government on how to make people truly happy will be invited by the government. The department would promote cultural, sporting and spiritual pursuits, besides yoga to add to the happiness quotient of residents of the state. 

"Usually a state's prosperity is measured with economic growth, but that alone can't be a factor to measure people's satisfaction," Chouhan added.

It has not been decided as to who will hold the charge of the department, but there is a possibility that it could be placed with the CM. The Department of Happiness was also discussed during the Vaicharik Kumbh organized on the sidelines of the Simhastha in May, earlier this year.

HAPPINESS INSTITUTE WILL ALSO BE SET UP

An Anand Sansthan or Happiness Institute will also be set up under the Department of Happiness. The Happiness Institute would act as a resource centre for enhancing the happiness quotient. It would also commission studies on the psychological condition of the people of the state. A budgetary provision of Rs 3.60 crore has also been made besides sanctioning of posts of a chairperson, two directors, accountant, four project assistants and five peons. 

The CM was greatly inspired by the concept of Gross National Happiness which is prevalent in Bhutan. Besides Bhutan, the UAE also has a Ministry of Happiness.

It seems that the formation of the Department of Happiness has even irked some.

"In a state where people are in tears all the time, where bodies are affected by hunger, setting up a department of happiness is like rubbing salt in the wounds of the people of the state," said Congress spokesperson K K Mishra.