Govt objects Centre’s proposed amendment in mines policy

Raipur, March 23, 2010

The state government has strongly objected the Union government’s proposed amendment in Mines and Minerals (Regulation & development) Act 1957 in which the Centre is planning to allot the mines on the basis of first-come first-served basis. Chief Minister Raman Singh has categorically made it evident that the government would not allot the mines sheerly for business of the mineral resources. He said according the proposed amendment, any applicant, in spite of not having capability to handle the work, would get mining lease, license etc. Singh informed about government’s stand on state mines while he was replying during budgetary demands on General Administration Department (GAD), Finance, Planning, Economy and Statistical department, Power, Mineral Resources, Directorate of Public Relations (DPR), Information &Technology and Biotechnology, Aviation and Commerce & Industries department in Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday.

Singh said he had raised his objection against the proposed amendment in national mines policy before the Centre. “The government aims to do value addition by utilising the rich mineral resources including iron-ore within the state on the basis of which we would promote more number of industries to establish here to benefit local people,” he said.

Singh informed the House that the mineral resources revenue has fairly increased in the past six years. “In 2003-04, the revenue of mineral resources was only Rs 637 crore but the figure doubled in 2008-09 and expectedly it might touch the figure of Rs 1600 crore in the current fiscal,” he said. 

One IT raid exposed face of bureaucracy: Choubey

Raipur, March 23, 2010

Political hue has brightened in state administration owing to which anarchy prevails from Sarguja to Bastar. The government has become helpless and is steered by bureaucrats who have become uncontrollable. But one Income Tax (IT) raid on an IAS official’s properties has completely exposed the actual face of bureaucracy. Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey was lashing on the government for its inability to contain its officials during budgetary demands on General Administration Department (GAD), Finance, Planning, Economy and Statistical department, Power, Mineral Resources, Directorate of Public Relations (DPR), Information &Technology and Biotechnology, Aviation and Commerce & Industries department in Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday.

Choubey said owing to predominance of red-tapism in the state, the common man’s voice remains unheard. “The officials are biased. They take several months to approve a common person’s file in the Secretariate while the Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with private parties get green signal in one day,” he charged. He said that the state was gradually becoming like Bihar and mafia has become safe heaven for mafia.

Officers disregarding public representatives

He reiterated that public representatives were being deliberately ignored by the officials and pointed out towards a function organised in Raigarh where the Collector was sitting in the first row while the Parliamentary Secretary was sitting in the third row. Similarly, one CEO at Ambikapur disregarded a Parliamentary Secretary when the latter entered into his office by asking how he could get in without prior permission, Choubey said.

New tradition of contract appointment

Choubey also question from the government about the reason for giving contract appointment to the officials from Delhi. “We have even heard that the government will soon be appointing an advisor over the Chief Secretary,” he said. “The government has started a new tradition of appointing officials and outsiders on contract basis,” he said. He also took a dig at those Collectors who spend more time in bhoomipujans and foundation stone laying programs instead of solving the problems of the needy and poor. Without naming one Collector’s name, Chobey said the particular official remained busy in bhoomipujans and other related programs for 22 days in a month. Choubey demanded from the government to tighten the noose on such officials.

Officers declared very less assets

Choubey said the assets declared by the IAS, IPS and IFS officers were not more than Rs seven lakh which evidently indicated that the figures were untrue.

Why power surplus state buys electricity

It is really strange that in spite of being power surplus state, the government has purchased electricity worth over Rs 10,000 crore in past six years, Choubey said. He further alleged that the government was serving high bills to the farmers on pretext of free power.

CM gave wrong information in House

Choubey said the Chief Minister gave wrong information to the House about the outstanding power bills more than Rs 50 lakh against the industries. He said the CM had informed that the power bill of about Rs 111.66 crore was outstanding against 19 industrial units of which Kankai Steel Plant (Bilaspur) was supposed to pay Rs 1.24 crore and Gouri Ispat (Durg) was supposed to pay Rs 3.10 crore. “But through Right to Information Act, we learnt that the actual outstanding amounts against Kankai Steel Plant and Gouri Ispat are Rs 4.51 crore and Rs 6.02 crore,” he said. “It is amazing that the government do not take any action against the industries that have huge outstanding power bills but promptly send jail to poor farmers for not paying power bill of even Rs 11,” he added.

NTPC ignored CM directives

Choubey said the CM himself had directed that the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) to provide jobs to 600 people whose lands were acquired by the NTPC.

Compassionate appointment

The government should make proper policy for appointments on compassionate grounds, Choubey said. “If a minor applies for compassionate appointment, his application is being refused on grounds that he is too young while when he applies again after crossing the age of 18, he get answer that he should have applied within three months of the demise of his kin,” Choubey added.

No provision for scribes: Choubey

Raipur, March 23, 2010

 Leader of the Opposition Ravindra Choubey said that the government had not made any provision for journalists in its budget. “The Journalists Welfare Fund should have been increased and the scribes should have got comprehensive insurance coverage, but none has been done. He also demanded from the government to give accreditation to more number of journalists considering the expanding media in the state.