The Hindu : Gehlot announces major sops

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

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Gehlot announces major sops

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR JUNE 8. The Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, today made a set of announcements, some of them complementing the party's election manifesto and others, as additional sops in an election year to the public. Most of the promises made in the party manifesto had been fulfilled and if some were left out that was because the Centre was not forthcoming with the expected support, he said today.

Interacting with the mediapersons over breakfast to brief them on the two-day "Chintan shivir''(introspection camp) of the State Council of Ministers which concluded the previous evening, Mr.Gehlot, however, asserted that the coming elections had no bearing on the decisions.

``The State has done extremely well during the past four years despite the drought conditions. The only regret I have is the unchecked increase in population,'' Mr.Gehlot said. The State Government had provided employment to 1 lakh persons during its four years and of them 27,000 were given regular employment, he said. The members of his Council of Ministers were present on the occasion.

The mood was visibly upbeat for the whole Gehlot team after the accolades the Government received at the recent Srinagar conclave of the Congress Chief Ministers. The national attention received by the State after the arrest of the VHP leader, Pravin Togadia, and the decision on reservation to the poor among the forward castes added to the enthusiasm.

``We are going ahead with our welfare programmes and people-oriented planning. They are in continuation with what we have done already. Elections are not making us do this. Of course if it were only two-three months left for the polls I would not have announced them,'' Mr.Gehlot said.

The announcements include more powers to the panchayati raj institutions, introduction of crop insurance, single phase power supply throughout the night in rural areas, eight hour supply during rabi --which would incur an additional expenditure of Rs.200 crores-- setting up of two new power plants, regularisation of slums, and clearing of the backlog in the appointment of candidates from the SC/ST through direct recruitment.

A review committee under the chairman ship of the Chief Secretary has been announced for the implementation of the 15-Point Programme and the 7-Point programme for minorities in the State.

The Saathin programme, abandoned by the previous Shekhawat Government and revived by the present one, will get a further fillip when an additional 9,189 persons would be inducted into it to have one Saathin in each gram panchayat.

At the panchayat samiti level a ''Pracheta'' would be appointed for supervision of the programme. Efforts are also being made to provide a boost to the self help groups(SHGs) of women.

Each of the panchayat headquarter would have a "Mahatma Gandhi public library and reading room''. The scheme, a new library movement in the State, is to be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, starting from July 1, 4000 of the gram panchayats would have such libraries.

Mr.Gehlot announced the setting up of the 125 MW lignite-based power station at Giral in Barmer district with an investment of Rs.622 crores. Another proposed project of 330 MW, based on gas as fuel is to come up at Dholpur at a cost of Rs.1155 crores. Mr.Gehlot said both the projects were expected to start production in two years time.

The Chief Minister also asserted that the State, among the best performing States in power sector reforms would go ahead with the reforms. "Power is development,'' he said referring to the commendable build up of generation capacity in the State during the past four years.

As for the crop insurance, Mr.Gehlot hinted that he still expected the Centre to come forward and respond to Rajasthan's request for an 80:20 basis participation of the Centre and the State.

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