Interesting development

Budget allocation to speed up development in 115 model districts may be rewarding politically

That Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is one of the most competent ministers to have served India across governments over the past two decades is a fact even his political adversaries would concede. But what is often not recognised is his political acumen which when in Opposition has helped the BJP stay relevant and which when in Government can translate quite brilliantly on occasion into marrying the public welfare mandate of his governmental role with an opportunity for his party to gain ground among the electorate. Provided, of course, the BJP manages to build the appropriate political narrative around development in the right districts, as it were.

A passing mention in Jaitley's last full Budget before the 2019 General Election announced substantial budgetary allocations and provisions in the coming year for, in a manner of speaking, development on steroids for 115 districts of the country. These districts, the Finance Minister expressed the hope, would become as part of this pilot project 'model development districts' over the coming year with a focus on speeded up quality infrastructure building, employment-intensive works, skills training for youth, efficient delivery of agriculture, irrigation and health sector programmes, streamlined public services and a transparent, digitised transactional framework.

Now, back-of-the-envelope calculations tell us that 115 districts equal roughly, give or take a few, 100 Lok Sabha constituencies. Which is, as most political pundits will tell you, about the number of seats that the ruling BJP/NDA knows it is at some risk of losing given anti-incumbency, relentless and vicious criticism from BJP-baiters, and an Opposition showing signs of coming together on a one-point agenda of preventing the BJP from coming back to power. Two plus two make four for you, yet? Of course, this is in no way to suggest that either the choice of districts or the intent of the Finance Minister is or will be anything but what he has been solemnly tasked as a Minister of the Union to deliver on in terms of the common good. Equally, it would be politically foolish of the BJP to ignore this opportunity, which the redoubtable Amit Shah is highly unlikely to. Close monitoring of each of the initiatives in individual districts, helping district administrations resolve roadblocks as they come up and ensuring real-time feedback to the Ministry would bring to fruition these models of tangible development for which there will undoubtedly be a political reward. The Niti Aayog, incidentally, has over the past few months already held rounds of intensive discussions with District Magistrates and has a plan-of-action more or less worked out. Jaitley has taken the horse to the water, as it were.