Govt must do uniform development of CG: Choubey

Raipur, March 18, 2013

Leader of opposition at state assembly Ravindra Choubey says that government must do uniform development of Chhattisgarh. “The government’s claim of high gross domestic product (GDP) rate in state is actually not true for 95% of rural areas. In fact, the government’s GDP is not the GDP of poor, but of industrialists and illegal miners,” he said while participating in debate for budgetary grants for general administration, finance, energy, public relations, aviation, information technology & biotechnology and economics & statistics departments at Vidhan Sabha on Monday.

He pointed that farmers do not get uninterrupted electricity supply despite state becoming power hub. “The villages still face frequent power cuts. It is an irony that there is no electricity for poor and farmers in the power surplus state,” he ridiculed.

He expressed his surprise that the power companies were at loss despite being dealt by experienced officials including IAS and IFS. He said the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) was performing more efficiently that the existing power companies.

“It is better to close down the power companies except production and distribution companies. It is rather sheer wastage of money in keeping so many power companies,” he said.

He further lashed the government for installing inferior quality transformers and condensers. He said in several places transformers had been replaced thrice in a year.

He said the chief minister should tell the House the reason for delay in thermal power plants in Madwa and Korba West. He indicated that establishment cost of both the power plants had increased due to delay.

On mines he quoted CM’s statement in previous budget session that said 15% of national mineral development corporation’s (NDMC) income must be spent in state and asked whether the government had made any plan in this regard. “Similarly, CM had also said that our iron and coal too should be in the state. But what initiative has the government taken in this direction” he inquired.

Indicating that the cement price had gone past Rs 285 per bag despite state-based cement companies getting all basic provisions he asked whether the government had taken any step to check transportation of clinkers to other states.

He said the government had done 92 MoUs in last nine and a half years, but only four industrial units were on verge of completion and about 7-8 industrialists had commenced their projects. He said if the remaining industrialists were uninterested in starting their projects then the government should revoke the MoU done with them.

He further hit the government for claiming that prime minister had praised Chhattisgarh in his address in parliament. “The sate government’s claims are false. The PM never mentioned Chhattisgarh in his speech. It is unfortunate that the government is so much engrossed in self-appreciation that it did not even spare the parliament and the PM,” he said.

He pointed that the government would not have needed to launch gram and nagar suraj campaigns if it had effectively implemented Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA). “Over the years, the state’s budget has inflated the government has failed to address minute problems of the poor,” he said.