Round The States
New Delhi, 6 November
2021
Fuel
Prices Down
POLLS, NOT
PEOPLE A WORRY
By Insaf
Finally, excise duty
on petrol and diesel has been cut down. Is it a majoritarian government’s
concern for the people overburdened by prise rise, or rather weighing its prospects
of winning upcoming Assembly elections in a number of States, the biggest being
Uttar Pradesh? The set back the BJP suffered in recent bypollsindicates it’s
the latter and not the love for the common man. The ‘Diwali gift’of excise cut
on petrol by Rs 5 and diesel by Rs 10 by the Centre, saw number of NDA-ruled
States, including Assam, Goa, Uttarakhand, UP, Tripura announcing additional
reduction. It is expected to not only bring relief to the common man but also
reduce inflation, tweeted Home Minister Amit Shah. What has gone unsaid is, the
party’s not-so-impressive performance in the bypolls and perhaps the results
being seen as a wake-up call.
The ruling BJP faced
a humiliating defeat in Himachal Pradesh, where price rise and high oil prices
were a major polls issue. The Congress swept all three Assembly seats and
winning Mandi too, the Chief Minister’s bastion. In West Bengal, it was again
battered by the TMC, which won all four Assembly byelections by big margins.In
Rajasthan, it failed to capitalise on Congress factional fight and couldn’t win
either of the two seats. In Haryana, its partner the INLD, which has expressed
concern over the farmers protest won the seat. The saving grace, however, was
Assam and Madhya Pradesh, where it won all five Assembly seats and two
respectively and also the Khandwa Lok Sabha seat.It did make inroad into TRS’s
Telanagana. In all, the BJP won only seven of the 29 State Assembly seats for
which elections were held in 14 States and arch rival, Congress won eight,
giving the beleaguered grand old party a bit of hope. The saffron party, however, doesn’t want
to admit that ensuing poll prospects is a reason for the fuel cut, for they
argue that if that if that was the case then results would have been different
in BJP-ruled Assam and Madhya Pradesh. An argument, few and even within the
party would find difficult to buy. While the debate shall continue both within
and outside, the fuel cut should be seen
as the beginning, for undoubtedly election sops shall follow as the next
calculated move to retain hegemony.
* * * * * * *
Dengue Concern
Rising cases of
dengue has the Centre worried. In particular are nine States and UTs, to which
the Union health ministry has sent teams of experts to aid public health
measures for its control and management. At a review meeting under Minister Mandaviya
on Monday last, it was noted that 1,16,991 dengue cases have so far been
reported across the country and the number is ‘significantly’ higher in some States
in October as compared to same period last year. These are: Haryana, Punjab, Kerala,
Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhandand Jammu and Kashmir.The central
teamsfrom National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, National Centre for
Disease Control and Regional Officeshave been instructed to ‘report on status
of vector control, availability of kits/medicines, early detection,
availability and use of insecticides, status of anti-larval and anti-adult
vector control measures, among others.’ He sought better coordination between
Centre and States and testing facilities be ramped upso that all cases are
reported and treated effectively. Perhaps, with Covid cases showing a marginal
decline, it may be worthwhile for hospitals like those in Delhi, consider using
one-third of beds reserved for coronavirus patients for those suffering from
vector-borne diseases, if the need arises. Clarity and clear cut instructions
would do well rather than statistics.
* * * * * * *
Goa’s Mining
Resumption of mining
activity in Goa is critical for the ruling BJPand it keeps fingers crossed the
Supreme Court comes to its aid. With elections due in February and AAP and TMC
going all out to make inroads into the smallest State, the Centre is working
hard to make ‘proper representation’ before the apex court and ‘find a way
out,” as per Union Minister for Road Transport and HighwaysNitin Gadkari. On
Tuesday last, he sought to assuage voters’ concern saying that while Delhi was
‘sympathetic’ to the issue, its hands were tied: “This matter is sub-judice,
without SC permissionGoa government can’t take any decision nor Union
government can clear it.” Recall in February 2018, the iron ore industry came
to a standstill after SC quashed 88 mining leases. The issue is a hot potato
this poll, as Insafon a recent visit noted. The economy dependent on
iron ore export is hit hard, there is largescale unemployment and worse the tourism
industry in doldrums with the pandemic. The Centre has given hope its ‘expecting
positive support from Supreme Court.’If that happens, it will be a game
changer.
* * * * * * *
Scarce SC/ST
Representation
Jharkhand can very
well justify its decision to grant quota promotions to employees in government belonging
to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Not only does it meet
Supreme Court’s criteria, rather can argue there’swoefully inadequate
representation at every level. A three-member committee of Hemant Soren
government to study promotion, administrative efficiency and representation of
SCs and STs in creamy layer under government’s services and posts submitted its
report on Wednesday last. It noted: the percentage of such employees in
relation to total number holding such posts across the state is 4.45% and
10.04%, respectively--much less than the population ratio of SC and ST (12.08%
and 26.20%)”. Thus, of the 3.01 lakh sanctioned post in 31 major departments,57,182
posts are to be filled on promotion basis, while 2.44 lakh posts by direct
appointment. It recommended:it’s necessary to continue with reservation policy
and ‘any relaxation of existing provision or removal of any clause won’t be
justified or desirable and would be against interest of community at large.’ What
about policy’s impact on overall administrative efficiency? Data would be more
than welcome.
* * * * * * *
Uttarakhand Saved Embarrassment
Uttarakhand Chief
Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami can heave a sigh of relief. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s visit on Friday last to unveil a 12-foot statue of Adi Guru
Shankaracharya at Kedarnath and laying
the foundation stone of reconstruction projects worth over Rs 400 crore, thankfully passed off smoothly. This after
Dhami had to go into damage control on Wednesday after his predecessor
Trivendra Singh Rawat was shown black flags on Monday by priests there as they,
along with others of Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamnotridhams have been opposing the
Devasthanam Board Act, which govern 51 temples associated with these.
Apparently markets in Yamnotri and Gangotri too had put down shutters in
solidarity with the protest. The CM, it is said assured the priests his
government was ‘completely’ with them and the issue shall be resolved by
month-end. Will Dhami keep his promise, is the big question. For he had, in
September, given a similar assurance of dissolving the Board by October-end.
The priests have given him one more chance. Will he, won’t he depends on how it
will impact ensuing polls. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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