Govt deceived farmers, S’karmis: Choubey

Raipur, February 25, 2013

Leader of opposition in state assembly Ravindra Choubey says that the government has deceived farmers and Shikshakarmis in past nine years by not doing anything for them. “The Rs 270 paddy bonus announced by chief minister Raman Singh in budget 2013-14 is rather a farewell bonus. He also ignored Shikshakarmis by not fulfilling their demands,” said Choubey while participating in debate over motion of thanks proposed by ruling party to express gratitude to Governor’s address during Vidhan Sabha’s budget session on Monday.

He termed the Governor’s address as depressing and directionless. “The government should have told what it did through Governor’s speech,” he felt.

He charged that the government was working for capitalists. “Infrastructural development has been zero in last nine years. On the name of industrialisation in tribal regions, lands were given to Tata and Essar but the two business houses have not established their units yet,” he said.

He regretted that the government did not do anything to check migration pointing that several villages of south Bastar govt vacated with people moving elsewhere in search of jobs.

He held the ruling party for devaluating panchayati raj institutions. “The panchayat representatives are being ignored and all powers lies with CEO,” he said.

“The energy department too failed to meet public expectations. The government claims to have developed Chhattisgarh into energy hub. It must tell the additional power it succeeded in generating in last nine years. If the state is power surplus then why there was hike in power tariff,” he asked.

Jails become corporate house for inmates

Choubey said the jails of Chhattisgarh had become corporate house for inmates. “Majority of crime is being operated from jails. The prisoners are using cell phones. There is no one to check them. Largely, the plot for crime is being prepared in Raipur, Bilaspur and Ambikapur jails,” he added.

“Why law and order is in haywire? Why criminals are not being caught? The crime has actually expanded in urban areas while the state has developed as abduction industry,” he said. He alleged that some government officials were also linked to the criminals.

No provision of health facilities for poor

He pointed that the government did not extended health facilities for poor in nine years. The government should have increased wards in district hospitals and Ambedkar hospital at Raipur for poor. 

“The government started its ambitious scheme – Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojna (MMSBY), but by far it had not signed agreement with any hospital to start giving benefits to the poor,” he said.

“The state has turned into a duplicate medicine market. Smart cards are being misused by the doctors. Uterus-removal case was shocking for the state. How will people trust this government,” he asked.

Tender public apology for misusing Gandhi’s name

He asked government to tender public apology for using Mahatma Gandhi as brand ambassador for deaddiction. 

“Did the government take permission to use Gandhi’s name for deaddiction? If not, then FIR must be registered against the person who misused his name,” he demanded.

“It is surprising that on one side the government has launched deaddiction drive while on the other it sets higher revenue target for liquor sale. It generated Rs 1600 crore in the current fiscal while aims to touch Rs 2100 crore mark in next financial year,” he said.