|
Round The States
Formation Of SRC
MIXED REACTION OF STATES
By Insaf
New Delhi, January 26, 2008
There has been a mixed reaction from various States to the
Centre’s proposal to set up the second State Reorganisation
Commission to carve big States into small. With nine States
slated for Assembly polls within a year, the Congress hopes to
reap an electoral bounty with its announcement of formation of
new States. The ball was set rolling by Congress heir and
General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who on a whirlwind visit to
Bundelkhand promised the trifurcation of Uttar Pradesh ---
Harit Pradesh out of Western UP, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal
out of south-eastern UP. Clearly, music for UP Chief Minister
Mayawati’s ears, who was the first to moot such a proposal. In
Maharashtra, while Congressmen plum for Vidarbha, its
coalition partner, NCP remains lukewarm to the proposal as it
has no major presence there.
However, the announcement of a new SRC and the proposal to
create Telengana has led to intra-party bickerings within the
Congress’ Andhra Pradesh unit. A section of Congressmen are
upset with the Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for his
remarks against the creation of the new State. With the TRS
and the BJP stepping up the offensive on the formation of
Telengana, the Congress party’s central leadership is in a
quandary on its next move. Also on the anvil is the creation
for Gondwana from portions of Chhattisgarh, Andhra and Madhya
Pradesh, Mithilanchal from north Bihar, Kodagu from
Karnataka’s coffee belt. It remains to be seen whether the
Congress lives up to its promise as it sets to open the
Pandora Box on the demand for statehood from every nook and
cranny of the country.
* * * *
Tug-Of-War In J&K Congress
If Andhra spells bad news for the Congress, its State unit in
Jammu & Kashmir too is in the throes of a serious tug-of-war.
A significant section of Congressmen, owing allegiance to the
Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, is up in arms against the
Central High Command’s move to appoint the Union Water
Resources Minister, Saifuddin Soz as the new PCC President. In
the Congress scheme of things, Soz who hails from the Valley,
fits into and the State’s political dynamics and is a perfect
foil to Azad who belongs to the Doda sector of Jammu. Recall,
the PCC post had fallen vacant following the resignation of
Azad loyalist Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed as its President and
Minister in the State Cabinet. With Assembly elections due in
September, there is another proposal to appoint three PCC
working Presidents from each region --- Jammu, Ladakh and
Kashmir Valley to fight anti-incumbency.
* * * *
Bird Flu Crossing Borders?
States neighbouring West Bengal have reason to worry. Bird flu
which was detected in one district of the CPM-ruled State over
a week back has spread its wings to nine districts and now
threatens Kolkata. Worse, cross-border smuggling of poultry
continues to thrive on the Indo-Bangla border, notwithstanding
measures to seal it. Already, Meghalaya has sounded a high
alert. Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra and UP too are keeping a
strict vigil. Recall, the Bengal Government was put on alert
by the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory
following the death of 10,000 backyard poultry in the Margram
and Birbhum districts. While culling targets have been raised
to 20,000, the locals continue to resist the same due to less
compensation. Not a few farmers have committed suicide. Health
authorities have their fingers crossed that the avian flu
doesn’t spread to more places and humans.
* * * *
Goa Government Survives
Politics in Goa never ceases to surprise. The seven-month-old
Congress-led coalition Government was in a crisis last
Wednesday. Four MLAs, three of Nationalist Congress Party and
one independent withdrew support, reducing Digambar Kamat’s
Congress Government to a minority. The rebels were opposed to
the Finance Minister’s Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat in the State,
while the Congress accused the SEZ lobby for destabilising the
Government. However, on Sunday, the beleaguered Kamat who had
left it to “God” to save his Government regained majority when
the Save Goa Front (SGF) with two MLAs and the UGDP’s
unattached legislator merged with the Congress. The Chief
Minister also bought peace with the rebels by offering them
Ministerships. With this the Congress strength stands at 21 in
a 40-member Assembly. Further, the Party High Command has also
promised the setting up of a coordination committee and
proportionate appointments on Government controlled boards,
corporations, agencies etc. Will the truce last? Time will
tell.
* * * *
UP Teachers On Test
A simple survey on teachers may well cleanse the rot that has
set into Government-run schools in Uttar Pradesh. The lead in
“Operation Cleanse” was taken by the Lucknow District
Commissioner, who devised a novel method: a questionnaire
which has to be filled by students in 70 Government secondary
schools. Among other things, it asks for “naming teachers who
do not take classes regularly, force you to join private
coaching, don’t teach properly, assist in cheating during
exams etc.” At the end of the exercise a divisional committee
will look into the answers and finalise the list of teachers
who shall be punished or rewarded. With teachers put on test
perhaps education in Government schools could improve with
flying colours.
* * * *
Chhattisgarh Woos With Rice
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Raman Singh is all set to do
a NT Rama Rao in the State by launching an ambitious food
security scheme, christened Mukhyamantri Khadyann Saahayata
Yojana. Whereby all families living below the poverty line
will get 35 kg rice at a nominal price of Rs 3 per kg per
month. Recall, the Telugu Bidda as Andhra Chief Minister in
the eighties was the first to woo his electorate with the Rs.2
kg rice scheme, no matter that it spelt financial disaster.
Singh’s scheme will cost the State exchequer Rs.837 crore per
year and is expected to benefit 34 lakh families in all. There
is no gainsaying that the BJP hopes to capitalize on the
goodwill generated by the scheme among the people, especially
SCs/STs to strengthen its case in the Assembly elections
scheduled to be held by the year-end.
* * * *
Raje’s Peace Overtures Come Unstuck
The Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s move to buy
peace with the Gujjar community by granting it reservation
under the nomadic category has come a cropper with the Gujjar
leadership outrightly rejecting it. Recall, Raje had
recommended four to six per cent separate reservations for
Gujjars, Gadiya Lohar, Banjara and Rebari castes. The
President of the Akhil Bharatiya Gujjar Sangharsh Samiti,
Bainsla made it plain that nothing short of being granted the
Scheduled Tribe status would appease the community and warned
the State Government of serious consequences. After its
successful chakka jaam of the National Highway between Jaipur
and New Delhi a few months ago, the Gujjar threat holds out an
ominous portent for the State and the Central Governments as
its ripples will be felt far and wide. ---INFA
(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)
E-Mail :
newseditor@sarkaritel.com |
