Digvijay Singh is irresponsible: Kailash Chawla

Bhopal, Mar 12 (UNI) Accusing former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh of being irresponsible, former minister and BJP MLA Kailash Chawla said the state is progressing at a fast pace as a result of welfare-oriented policies of the government.

Participating in the general debate on the state assembly's Budget 2007-08, Mr Chawla charged Mr Singh of being irresponsible and misleading public for self-interest.

''The BJP has brought about a change in the state in a short span of three years due to policies framed by promoting public participation. For proper implementation of these policies, Mr Chouhan has done an innovative experiment by constantly monitoring them through panchayats,'' he said, adding people were benefitted by it.

Criticising the policies of the Congress, Mr Chawla said the Congress would not have suffered defeat in Punjab and Uttarakhand assembly elections had the policies of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre been proper.

He asserted that the BJP was fulfilling its promises made in election manifesto of providing road, water and electricity.

He opposed dubbing as false the government's claims of reforms in power sector saying that 26.56 per cent more money was spent on development of this sector than the amount allocated in the budget.

Mr Chawla said the government's effort would make Madhya Pradesh self-sufficient in power sector by 2008, while it has brought the state in frontline along with other states in the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojna and the Madhya Pradesh Grameen Rozgar Yojna.

Participating in the debate, Mr Ram Niwas Rawat and Mr Brajendra Singh Rathod (both Congress) said there was difference in the what the government said and what it actually did resulting in loss of its credibility among people.

They accused the Finance Minister of shifting his priorities by not making provisions for former CM Uma Bharti's 'Pancha Ja' and former CM Babulal Gaur's 'Gokul Gaon' and 'Ayodhya Basti' schemes.

Besides, no concrete announcement had been made regarding regularisation of Daily Wage Employees and Shikshakarmis.

CPI(M)'s Ramlakhan Sharma, Mr I M P Verma (BSP), Mr Durgalal Vijay and Mr Kapoorchand Ghuwara (both BJP) also participated in the discussion, which was not completed.

UNI