By IANS
Bhopal : Tiding over the power crisis, closing corporations and boards that have become a liability and extending influence among the Scheduled Castes is what the Madhya Pradesh government has been asked to focus on by a committee constituted by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Having lost several by-elections in a row, the party – at an introspection meet in Sanchi last month – constituted a committee to see what issues the government needed to address if it wanted to retain power in the next state elections.
“The report, presented to BJP state president Narendra Singh Tomar by committee chairman and former chief minister Sunderlal Patwa, made 11 suggestions to the party and 26 to the government to improve their performance,” party sources said.
Power shortage was one of the issues that led to the downfall of the 10-year-old Congress regime in 2003.
“It (the crisis) is still alive with more or less the same potential,” the report said.
It has asked the government to appoint a full-time chairman in the state electricity board to tide over the power crisis across the state.
The government has been advised to recover power dues from farmers in two instalments, redress the grievances of consumers and devise a three-phase plan to provide electricity to farmers for at least eight hours a day.
It suggested that a special commission be set up for nomadic tribes, boards and corporations running under deficit be shut down and employment be provided to youths in industries. The report stressed on completion of irrigation projects, and installing statues of local historical figures at community buildings in tribal areas.
The committee urged the government and the party to enhance its ambit of influence among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and weaker sections of society.
Other recommendations to the party included formation of management committees at the division level and special efforts to solve problems of students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes living in hostels.