No cabinet resuffle soon, says Chouhan

Bhopal, Feb 22 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today ruled out immediate reshuffle of his cabinet and said the Education portfolio earlier held by Mr Laxman Singh Gaud, who was killed in a road accident, would be reallocated to a ''colleague''.

''Mr Gaud's performance as a minister during the last six months was excellent'', he told the Central Press Club's meet-the-press programme here, adding 'At present there is no plan to expand the cabinet''.

As part of the consultation process with different sections of the society, the Chief Minister said, a 'panchayat' for handicapped people was under consideration like similar panchayats for women, farmers, artisans and others.

Admitting shortcomings in health care and road construction, the Chief Minister said constant monitoring to ensure quality was in place. Whereever shortcomings were noticed, disciplinary action had been taken against officers, he said, He denied Union Minister Suresh Pachouri's charge of acting with a vengeance against political adversaries saying he had never acted in such a manner earlier nor would do so in future also. Mr Chouhan said he preferred to remain as a 'simple person' and aura of the high office would not change his style.

''Delimitation would not cause major upsets and its possible impact about 33 constituencies was being studied', he said.

The Chief Minister said a consultant had been appointed to work out details for the use of Narmada water for drinking purpose in Bhopal and other areas, while work had been speeded up for constructing the canals to ensure the use of the state full share of water from inter-state projects on the river.

Mr Chouhan claimed that naxal activities were under check in the state due to multi-pronged action. ''There was no major naxal-triggered incident in the last four years'', he added.

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