BJP to launch agitation against Centre

Patna, Apr 3(UNI) Bihar BJP today came down heavily on the UPA government at the Centre for its ''callous'' and ''step motherly'' treatment meted out to the state regarding allocation of funds for developmental activities.

In a resolution adopted at the concluding session of the party's state executive committee meeting here, BJP threatened to launch agitation to realise dues for Bihar if the Centre failed to mend its ways.

Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, state BJP president Radha Mohan Singh said his party would stage state-wide dharna at district headquarters on April 9 to press fulfilment of their demand for identifying people below poverty line on the basis of 16 standard point instead of the present practice of 13 points.

'' The NDA government is making every effort to rectify the BPL list to ensure that the benefits of the welfare schemes percolate to the lowest strata of the society,'' Mr Singh said.

'' BPL list prepared on the basis of 13 standard points covers only 65 lakhs families but if it is prepared on the basis of 16 standard points, about one crore families would have the opportunity to get benefits of welfare schemes,'' he maintained.

The BJP leader claimed that Bihar was the first state to launch ration-coupon scheme for the poor but allotment of kerosene oil to Bihar was only 53,953 metric tonnes which failed to cater to the needs properly. The Centre has turned down the proposal of Bihar government to increase the allotment of kerosene oil to the state by 33 percent, he lamented.

Mr Singh said that Centre had announced for conversion of 890 kms stretch of National Highways into ''four lanes'' in the state in 2004, but the proposal was shelved after NDA assumed power in Bihar.

UNI