In his address to the newly elected Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, Governor Ram Naresh Yadav focussed on the development goals of the Shivraj Chouhan government as well as a policy of “zero tolerance to corruption.”
In his 43-page-long customary address Mr. Yadav said: “Today citizens want good governance.
“Hence, my government has decided to adopt a policy of zero tolerance to corruption.
“For this, there will be an internal vigilance system in departments, and important departments will have a financial adviser.”
Mr. Yadav listed the achievements of the previous five years of BJP rule, adding that ten lakh houses would be constructed for the homeless in villages in five years and 19,000 km of roads would be laid to connect the districts.
The river Narmada, which has been recently linked to the Kshipra, will also be linked to the Parbati, Kali Sindh and Gambhir to increase irrigation from 25 lakh hectares to 40 lakh hectares.
The Governor listed out a number of policing measures such as women’s police stations and women’s patrols —which have come under criticism for moral policing — to increase safety of women. Fourteen per cent — the highest among States — of all the incidents of rape in India took place in MP in 2012.
The Congress termed the speech “disappointing.” Opposition leader Satyadev Katare said: “There was not a word about the Professional Examination Board scam in which lakhs of youth lost opportunities in higher education and public service. The promises of security are hollow as even yesterday [on Wednesday] two rapes were reported.”
Mr. Katare asked the government to allow the House to function for at least 75 days this year.
In the past few years, almost every session has been adjourned before the declared date. “We will revive the shadow Cabinet system which existed till the 70s. Senior leaders will each monitor one department and keep all documents regarding it,” he said. The BJP too had formed a shadow Cabinet before the 2003 polls when it defeated the Congress.
Discussions and amendments to the Governor’s address will take place on January 11. The supplementary budget will be tabled on January 10. Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan congratulated the new Speaker, Sitasharan Sharma.
