‘5 years not enough to implement all schemes’

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. File photo

“I have many things in mind for the State and its people but five years is not enough to implement these. One year will pass by in elections -- panchayat and municipal elections -- and we have only four years to clean this mess,” said Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

“We are running a deficit of Rs. 2,500 crore -- legacy of the previous government which believed in populist schemes. When we demitted office in 2008, we had left surplus money in the bank,” she said targeting the former Congress government.

Of its total income, Rajasthan spends 97 per cent on establishment and the rest on welfare schemes, Ms Raje said, speaking to

The Hindu during her

Sarkar Apke Dwar programme in Udaipur. It is, rather, unusual to hear a politician talk about economics unless it wins votes. So when the Chief Minister speaks on how better economics can better the lives of the people, one is taken a little aback.

“I know nothing can be done in a hurry. Everything collapses if we rush but I am in a hurry,” she says as she accepts greets, garlands, shawls and blessings from the villagers along the route to Raashmi where the Chief Minister was to attend a public hearing.

“The people may say if one government fails to give jobs, they can change it. But that is not the answer to unemployment. The fact is we need to create jobs for people in the private sector because government cannot provide jobs to all,” she explains when asked how the idea of bringing about labour reforms was sparked. After Rajasthan amended the four major Central Labour Laws, the Centre is also contemplating amendments.

Rajasthan has also asked the corporate houses to tie up with the government before taking up any corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. We have asked them to pool in resources to take forward CSR schemes. Duplication of authorities and schemes does not help. ,” the Chief Minister says.

Rajasthan has also become the first State in the country to a Centre for Skill Development where skills will be imparted to educated youth. “In my previous term, we were had launched the Rajasthan Mission on Livelihood which was replicated at the National level as was Bhamashah Scheme.”

There is no question of shifting priorities.”' Bhamashah Scheme makes woman the financial head of the family as all the entitlements under the government schemes would be channelled through her bank account.

Open defecation is another issue close to her heart and the State has already set itself the target of making Rajasthan open defecation-free in the next two years.