By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: With the Vidhan Sabha elections scheduled for November-December this year fast approaching the Bharatiya Janata Party, (BJP), ruled Madhya Pradesh Government is trying to leave no stone unturned to woo the voters in order to retain power.
After announcing the allotment of residential plots to slum-dwellers the Madhya Pradesh Government today started a programme to provide foodgrains to the poor families living below poverty line (BPL) at very cheap rates here at Lal Parade Ground today.
As such senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Venkaiya Naidu and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana” to provide subsidized foodgrains to the poor families at a consumer awareness camp organized here on Saturday.
Under it, wheat at Rs. 3 a kg and rice at Rs. 4.50 a kg would be provided to the BPL families. Naidu and Chouhan made a token distribution of fooodgrain packets to some beneficiaries on the occasion.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sivraj Singh Chouhan inauguratiing cheap foodgrains scheme to poor families at Indore on Saturday
Speaking on the occasion Naidu described “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana” as a boon for the poor families reeling under ever increasing prices. He said that other states should follow suit. The central government should introduce this scheme in entire country by amending the constitution.
Describing the Chief Minister Chouhan as representative of the common people Naidu said that the bonus of Rs. 100 per quintal on support price of wheat by the state government has paved the way for prosperity of farmers and the country. He was all praise for the novel schemes like “Ladali Laxami Yojana”, “Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojana”, “Mukhya Mantri Mazdoor Suraksha Yojana” being implemented by the state government as well as the special efforts made by it in health, irrigation and energy sectors.
Condemning the discrimination against some states by the central government Naidu said that the previous central government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee had given equal treatment to all the states. Nobody is pleased with the erring policies of the present central government. Even institutions like the Planning Commission and the media are criticizing the violation of fundamental rights of the people.
Naidu took exception to reducing the coal supply for thermal power stations by the central government. Coming down heavily on those disregarding democratic norms he said that anguished by this the Chief Minister Chouhan has perforce, decided to observe fast on April 30. He called upon the people to extend their moral support to Chouhan by joining the fast.
Chief Minister Chouhan said that he is in the politics to serve the people. The “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana” has been launched to rid the poor of hunger. The scheme would provide great relief to them in these times of ever-increasing price rise. He said that the number of BPL families has increased from 41 lakh to 62 lakh. It is due to injustice meted out by the central government in providing adequate foodgrains that the state government has decided to launch the “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana” by procuring wheat in larger quantity. The state government has demanded the central government to provide foodgrains at the rate of 35 kg per family. A provision of Rs. 160 crore has been made during the current financial year for “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana”. An annual expenditure of Rs. 213 crore is estimated under the scheme.
Chouhan said that strict measures have been taken to curb anti-farmer activities and he himself has been making surprise inspections of mandis for this. Efforts would continue to ensure remunerative returns to farmers of their produce and those found indulging in hindering it would be strict dealt with.
The Chief Minister assured the people attending the camp that ration cards would be provided to the consumers who do not possess them. He said that he would observer one-day fast to oppose the discrimination of central government against the state in allotment of foodgrains. Ministers, Members of Parliament and MLAs would also follow suit to draw central government’s attention to this.
At the outset the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Akhand Pratap Singh delivered the welcome address. Minister in-charge of Bhopal district Raghavji proposed a vote of thanks.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Member of Parliament Kailash Joshi, BJP president Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for Commercial Taxes Babulal Gaur, Minister for Energy Dr. Gaurishankar Shejwar, Minister for Women and Child Welfare Ms Kusum Singh Mehadele, Minister for Revenue Kamal Patel, Minister for Urban Development and Administration Narottam Mishra, Member of Parliament Laxaminarayan Sharma, Minister of State for Gramodyog Karan Singh Verma, MLA Umashankar Gupta and other public representatives.
The Chief Minister gave away assistance to the beneficiaries under “Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana” and “Ladali Laxami Yojana”. Naidu and Chouhan presented a Rs. one lakh award to Shivrayaran Sharma, the Sarpanch of Khotipura Gram Panchayat of Berasia tahsil on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Chouhan and Naidu visited a photo exhibition focused on consumer awareness and beneficiary oriented schemes on the occasion of launch of “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana”.
Put up by the Public Relations Department the exhibition depicts progress of the various schemes being implemented by Madhya Pradesh Government. The different development departments also distributed printed literature on their respective schemes at the exhibition venue.
Meanwhile, at Indore Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana” in the afternoon on Saturday in the presence of Madhya Prdesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Speaking on the occasion Narendra Modi, who was the chief guest on the occasion, reportedly said that Madhya Pradesh Government is a role model for welfare of the poor. The novel schemes introduced by Madhya Pradesh Government would be replicated in Gujarat. The sensitivity of Madhya Pradesh government towards the poor and the weak is being appreciated at national level.
Modi said that inflation is the most challenging issue before the country. How come the granaries, which were overflowing during the regime of NDA government, are now empty forcing the government to import food grains? he quipped. The people of the country want a reply to this question, he said.
He said that strict action against the terrorists associated with SIMI is imperative for security of the nation and complemented Madhya Pradesh government for this. He said that the state governments of Rajsthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat are working with commitment for welfare for the common people. The future of Madhya Pradesh government is bright, he added.
While Chouhan said that the launch of “Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana” is the beginning of a crusade against spiraling price rise. It aims at ensuring adequate foodgrains to the poor. ([email protected])