Round The States

New Delhi, 9 July 2009

Mamata’s Rail Budget

DERAILED BY INTER-STATE DIVIDE

By Insaf

The much-hyped pro-janata Union Railway budget appears to have got caught in the vortex of inter-State warfare. Specially, those States due to hold Assembly elections in a few months. Accusing the Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee of rolling out her ‘‘goods train” for West Bengal, MPs cutting across States and Party lines said, “Sab kuch Bangal, baaki sab kangal.” Reminding her that the Railway Ministry did not “belong to West Bengal but to the entire country,” they insisted that the “States’ demands be incorporated.” Specially against the backdrop that of the 309 model stations proposed, 40 are from Kolkata and 97 from Bengal, with Bangalore being “off the radar.” Playing States’-pooper, Maharashtra however, which too is going to the polls this winter took a contrary view: there was no budget-election co-relation. Given that few new trains had been sanctioned for the State.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, described by some as the “nation’s dil (heart)” too echoed  similar grievances, notwithstanding the retinue of Prime Ministers (Nehru, Shastri, Indira, Rajiv, Vajpayee et al) from the State. Demands for a number of new trains/connections from Lucknow have been hanging fire for the past five years. Acknowledging that the Railways was the “lifeline” of the nation and promotes “national integration”, the Railway Minister disputed the complaints made by the States. Said she, “UP has been given 21 new trains, Maharashtra 19 and Orissa seven. What more do you want”, she told the States’ representatives. Adding, “I am not a magician but am willing to consider requests.” It remains to be seen if Mamata will show some mamata and redress the States’ grievances or let the regional drift widen?

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States On Mat For NREGS Non-implementation

All States have been put on notice by the Centre vis-à-vis the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). Given the States abject apathy towards meeting the 100 days of employment target. In a chat with Insaf, the Union Rural Development Minister C P Joshi asserted that the “programme was not working properly. There was no monitoring of works in the pipeline and those concluded resulting in corruption, malpractices and various acts of omission and commission.” Pointing out the anomalies in the NREGA Act, Joshi added, “the Centre provides three-fourth of funds and the balance is put up by the respective States but the onus for implementing the scheme is with the States, which have failed to perform.” Specially, in the implementation of roadworks. What is more the ‘rogue’ States are those boasting of a large poor population. Shockingly, instead of 100 days of guaranteed employment the national average has been between 42 and 48 days. It remains to be seen if Joshi’s whip-cracking will get the States to get their NREGS act together!

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Drought Woes In Northern States 

With the monsoon playing truant in the northern States, ‘drought’ clouds are hovering over the UPA Government. The nation’s granary—Western UP, Punjab and Haryana, have had almost nil monsoon showers, as against a spurt in the monsoon in east and central India. The sowing of paddy crop is not only far behind last year’s levels, which had seen early monsoon, but also behind the sowing pattern in 2007-08. The maize crop is affected in Himachal Pradesh as there has been 59 per cent shortfall in pre-monsoon rains. The Met office has already rung the alarm bells by saying that the monsoon was deficient by 44 per cent and worse, that the next 10 days will only have scanty rain. A worried Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar held a meeting with top officials of his ministry, Meteorological and Water Resources Department on Wednesday last to review the kharif season, which is in danger. To top it all, the poor power situation in north India is adding to the government’s woes. All eyes are on the sky.   

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Punjab & Haryana Show The Way

However, with monsoon blues staring them in the face, both Punjab and Haryana, are trying to overcome their power shortage woes with stern orders. Last week, the Haryana Government banned air conditioners in all its offices. An official communication sent to various departments, said the ban would be implemented “in both letter and spirit”. Except for hospitals, ACs are not to be used in government offices, corporations, universities, boards, local bodies et al, within and outside the State. Neighbouring Punjab, however, has done one better. It has not only banned ACs in Government offices, but asked the public servants to report to work at 7.30 a.m. and shut office at 1.30 p.m. Other than saving electricity, the Government can also hope of getting a more efficient staff. Will others follow? 

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Andhra Hub of Counterfeit Currency

Andhra Pradesh is acquiring a notorious reputation with capital Hyderabad becoming a hub of counterfeit currency. According to reports, the Task Force of the State police has recovered a whopping amount of Rs 2.80 crores in counterfeit notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations. An analysis has revealed that notes were printed in sophisticated mints in Pakistan and were routed to Hyderabad and various other places through the UAE. Till end-June, the police have unearthed five major rackets, but fear that this is only the tip of the iceberg.  

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Bihar & Orissa Working In Tandem

Bihar and Orissa have bandied together in accusing the Centre of adopting “double standards” on calamity relief funds. Adding insult to injury asking the respective State Governments to return money provided to them under that head. Working in tandem, both parties stalled proceeding in the Lok Sabha earlier this week when the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram denied the charge of seeking return of relief money from the States. Later talking to Insaf, the JD(U) President Sharad Yadav reiterated his charge. “The Centre gave Rs 1000 crore to West Bengal for Cyclone Alia but wants Bihar to return the monies given as relief for Cyclone Kosi.” Added a BJD MP, “Ditto the case with Orissa.”  It is another matter that till yesterday, the two satraps of Bihar and Orissa, JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar and BJD’s Naveen Patnaik respectively were being ardently wooed by the Congress prior to the General elections. 

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Assam’s ‘New Born’ Scheme

Grandmother skills are much in demand in Assam, what with infant mortality figures giving the State health department sleepless nights. The latter has embarked upon a one-year project entitled Sakhi, (friend), wherein grandmothers or the elderly village women, well-versed with traditional methods for care of both the newborns and their mothers, will be hired by hospitals. They are expected to give tips to the mothers-to-be and help the department bring down the mortality figures, which in 2007 were 66 infant deaths per million births as against the national figure of 55. This apart, another scheme, Mamata has been designed for rural areas to ensure that the newborn stays in hospital care for at least 48 hours after birth. Gifts such as baby blanket, towel and other childcare items to be handed to the mothers for the hospital stay are expected to do the trick. --INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)