Nagpur: BJP-Shiv Sena government had announced a Rs22,000 crore backward areas package with great fanfare. The opposition, however, feels that it is an eyewash. The leaders have pointed out that Rs13,400 crore is central grant and NABARD loan. TOI talked to Vijay Wadettiwar, deputy leader of Congress in state assembly, to know his views on the package.
The excerpts:
Q: What is your opinion about the backward areas package?
A: It is not worth more than Rs3,200 crore. Finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has conveniently added central funds in the package. Even if it is taken into account the package components still don’t add up to Rs22,000 crore. I have my own doubts whether we will get even this Rs3,200 crore. Farmers are yet to get compensation for crop damage last year.
Q: Even if it is assumed that the package is not more than Rs3,200 crore, will it help Vidarbha?
A: No it will not. Money will be spent on heads that will not help the people. For example, funds have been earmarked for providing goats, sheep and poultry to village groups. How is this going to create employment?
Q: How should have the government designed the package?
A: Money should have been sanctioned for reducing backlog of Vidarbha. Funds should have been sanctioned for incomplete irrigation projects of Vidarbha, for building rural roads, filling up the vacant posts in various departments, appointment of doctors in rural hospitals, fighting malnourishment deaths in Melghat and Gadchiroli etc. Moreover, money should have sanctioned for tribals and scheduled castes (SC) as per our Constitution. Tribal development projects should have been allocated Rs2,600 crore while SC welfare should have got 11%. This has not happened.
Q: Has the government been able to reduce backlog of Vidarbha?
A: Backlog has increased during the four-year rule of BJP and Shiv Sena. Vidarbha’s irrigation projects need Rs4,000 crore every year. However, the government sanctioned Rs1,100 crore last year. Of this Rs850 crore was for Gosikhurd while the remaining projects got a mere Rs250 crore. How will irrigation projects be completed on time? Had government sanctioned Rs20,000 crore in five years Vidarbha’s irrigation backlog would have been halved. There is a backlog of 13,000 kilometre in rural roads. Not a single paise has been sanctioned for these roads. The rural economy continues to suffer because of the bad roads.
