Bhutan has it, and is one of the few countries to measure its prosperity by gauging the happiness quotient of its citizens and not just GDP. UAE recently announced it when, in a major government shake-up, it announced a "Minister of State for Happiness" whose only job will be to "create social good and satisfaction". And now, an Indian state has followed suit. Madhya Pradesh, headed by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is soon going to have a Ministry of Happiness. Chouhan announced it on Thursday when he told mediapersons at a state BJP convention that the government will make a "happiness ministry to track our growth". He added, "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." Chouhan also announced it in a series of tweets:

व्यक्ति की खुशी के लिए समृद्धि के अलावा कई अन्य कारण भी होते हैं। प्रदेशवासियों की समृद्धि के साथ उनके जीवन में खुशी के लिए प्रयास करेंगे।

— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) April 1, 2016

प्रदेश के लोगों के जीवन में हर स्तर पर खुशहाली के लिए 'हैप्पीनेस मिनिस्ट्री' होगी, जिसके माध्यम से व्यक्ति को सकारात्मक वातावरण दिया जायेगा।

— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) April 1, 2016

लोगों को अच्छी शिक्षा मिले, शिक्षण संस्थाओं का वातावरण अच्छा हो, विपरीत परिस्थितियों में लोग हौसला न छोड़ें, ऐसी व्यवस्था की जायेगी।

— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) April 1, 2016

अनेक देश हैप्पीनेस इण्डेक्स की अवधारणा पर काम कर रहे हैं। संभवतः मध्यप्रदेश इस अवधारणा को लागू करने वाला भारत का पहला राज्य होगा।

— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) April 1, 2016

How does one measure happiness? The concept of happiness index basically means that people are healthy all their life, the society had an atmosphere of harmony and mutual goodwill, and there is freedom of choice of lifestyle, among other parameters.