Speedy implementation of Raj budget demanded

Jaipur, Feb 29 (UNI) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Shivcharan Mathur today said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should ensure swift implementation of her budget announcement and convene a special session of state assembly by June 30 to apprise the House of the progress in this regard.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Mathur said Union Budget for 2008-2009 presented in the Lok Sabha by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram did pave the way for adequate flow of funds to states including Rajasthan for implementation of announcements made by Ms Raje in her budget speech in the state assembly on February 25.

Mr Mathur said with availability of enough funds, the state government should ensure speedy implementation of its programmes and schemes much before the enforcement of the model code of conduct ahead of the next assembly election.

The veteran Congress leader suggested Ms Raje to convene a brief and special session of the state assembly by June 30 to take members and people in confidence over the implementation of budget announcements.

Expressing satisfaction over various people friendly announcements in the Union Budget, Mr Mathur welcomed waiving off loans of small and marginal farmers amounting to Rs 50,000 crore in total and interest component of loans of other farmers amounting to Rs 10,000 crore.

Mr Mathur praised initiative from UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in this regard and said her intervention was necessary as the farmers problems were emerging as a serious national issue.

He said step for ensuring monitoring of implementation of NREGS in states was another commendable measure taken by the UPA Government.

He also welcomed raising of income tax exemption limit and rationalisation of personal IT rates.

However, Rajasthan Law and Justice Minister Ghanshyam Tiwari had criticised the Finance Minister for announcing the package for farmers.

Mr Tiwari said the announcement did not address the actual problems of the farming community and had offered only temporary relief.

He, who also holds the Food and Civil Supply portfolio, said the budget would not help in curbing rise in the prices of essential commodities.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) lone MLA Amara Ram also opined that however, the loan waiver would not offer solution to the real problem, the step would certainly provide immediate relief to farmers.

UNI SS GL KP1820