I still can’t
get over the hilarious government ads showing `manufactured’ prosperity of
farmers with swaying green crops, water gushing at high speed from water-pumps etc.
so far removed from reality! During our election campaigns, I literally comb interiors
of Maharashtra so I know what I am talking about. I read a recent report by a
leading newspaper which made a startling revelation that there are only ten grampanchayats in Maharashtra which
supply clean water.
What do
people expect from any good government? Only three basic necessities- roads, electricity
and water. But in the last 15 years of Congress-NCP rule in Maharashtra, people
are still deprived of the basic necessities. In fact, since Maharashtra’s
inception, congress has more or less ruled the state except one term by `Yuti’.
When `yuti came to power, we built 55 flyovers and undertook a lot of work for
infrastructure in urban and rural areas. We started tolls for maintenance of roads
and developmental projects. After us, Cong-NCP government continued the toll
policy but not for the state but for the contractors! While our government’s
policy was toll where needed’, this government’s policy has been `toll where
road’!
In an
assembly, PWD minister Chagan Bhujbal declared that PWD has no sufficient
provision for maintenance or building good roads. The government has further reduced
the budgetary allocation for roads! Figure out this move if you can! Ditto for the roads that are charged with
tolls. Looking at their conditions, one wonders where has all the toll
collection gone? Are we looking at another scam here, directly involving public’s
hard-earned money? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised given the track record of
this government.
Situation of
water in Maharashtra is no different. Several regions in Maharashtra are
drought-prone. But this can be easily and greatly improved if there is a proper
planning for water conservation and rainwater harvesting. Gujarat is a classic
example of this. But what does Maharashtra has? An alleged irrigation scam
right under the nose of Deputy CM. The land was acquired from farmers and costs
of dams were overnight escalated without officially allotting canals.
Everything about irrigation projects is fishy. CM declared the whole project as
“unsatisfactory’’, ordered an enquiry and set up Chitale Committee for further
probe.
And of
course, how can power be an exception to the mess? `Load-shedding free
Maharashtra by 2012’ was their slogan for the last election. What is the status
today? Even on good-monsoon years, when farmers have water in their wells and
canals they have no electricity to run the pumps. As a result, their crops are
ruined which is a big agricultural loss, not just him but all of us. In 2002,
the state had a surplus of power due to which Godbole panel had ruled out the need
of more power via Enron Project. Today, load-shedding is a stark reality in
Maharashtra.
So as you
see, despite 15 years of a rule, if government cannot take care of your basic
needs, why should you care about them?
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