BSP accuses Centre of playing politics with UP development package

New Delhi, May 24 : Accusing the Dr. Manmohan Singh Government of non-cooperation, the BSP National General Secretary, Satish Chandra Misra, today said the Central Government was following "a non-inclusive and purely capitalistic economic policies" that have created the largest numbers of millionaire in the world and also the largest number of poor in the world.

"Unfortunately a large portion of poor stay in Uttar Pradesh," Misra said. He added that the Mayawati Government had suggested a 80,000 crore package to bring about a hope of prosperity to these poorer sections, but the Centre denied help because of "obvious political considerations".

Misra was speaking at the concluding session of a two-day seminar on "Uttar Pradesh: The Road Ahead", organised by Observer Research Foundation here today.

However, Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari denied Misra's claim, and said "unfortunately for us, Dr. Manmohan Singh does not play politics with development."

Misra, who is also the chairman of the UP State Advisory Board, said the Mayawati Government was exploring other ways of financing their ambitious development and infrastructural projects, including the important public-private partnership.

He said the State Government was working on improving power supply with a target of 10,000MW by 2012. Already work has started on 5000MW and work is under process on 3200MW capacity in Bundelkhand, Anpara and Allahabad, he added.

Misra said the government was trying to increase employment opportunities by creating one lakh jobs for village sweepers, 88,000 teachers and 12,000 Urdu teachers.

Saying regional disparities in UP posed a great challenge to the polity, a special package was needed to revive the economy and put it on the rails. "We cannot expect miracles from the Government unless it is adequately supported by the Government of India," he said.

"The economy of any State which has been reeling under stress for about three decades cannot be expected to start pulsating in a short period of one year. However, the BSP Government has chalked out such economic policies which give due weightage to the different regional backwardness of the State," he said.

Misra said the BSP was of the view that the State of UP needed to be re-organised with a view to bring about desired socio-economic growth and development of the State.

Wondering whether the people of UP were really interested in development, Manish Tiwari said stability of programmes and political compact were necessary basics if the State was to make impressive growth.

Looking at the theme of the conference "UP: The Road Ahead", CPI-M leader Subhashini Ali said right now the road ahead was blocked. "You have to remove the blocks, if you want to take the State forward," she added.

ANI