Interview/ Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh chief minister
CHHATTISGARH CHIEF MINISTER Vishnu Deo Sai is confident that the BJP will win all 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state. According to him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the state government’s achievements in the past four months will boost the victory margins this time.
Excerpts from an interview:
Q/ Can Modi’s charisma lead to a clean sweep for the BJP in Chhattisgarh?
A/ Modiji’s charisma was for everybody to see in the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the party secured magnificent wins. The people of Chhattisgarh have placed their trust in Modi in the Lok Sabha elections as well, leading to a clean sweep in Chhattisgarh.
Q/ Do you think that the BJP got an advantage by declaring its candidates in Chhattisgarh early?
A/ The BJP works with farsightedness. But the Congress often gives the appearance that its national leaders lack a clear vision or direction. No Congress leader in Chhattisgarh was keen to contest the elections for fear of losing. Even former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel had earlier declined to contest the polls.
Q/ Will your government bring back the flagship schemes of the previous BJP government?
A/ Indeed, we are committed to restarting the initiatives of our previous BJP government. The Charan Paduka scheme [to distribute free footwear to tribals], for instance, proved beneficial. Regrettably, the insensitive actions of the Congress government led to the termination of this scheme. We are determined to revive and relaunch such schemes.
Q/ Will your government continue major schemes of the previous Congress government? What are the programmes that are set to be discontinued?
A/ We are evaluating the schemes initiated by the Congress government without any bias. We have decided to continue the Bijli Bill Half scheme. While the concept of Atmanand English Medium Schools was promising, its execution faltered because of lack of infrastructure and English medium teachers. The flagship [water management] scheme Narwa, Garwa, Ghurwa and Badi, along with the Gothan scheme, did not yield expected results. Decisions regarding the continuation of these schemes will be made based on thorough assessment. The success or failure of any scheme depends on the government’s intentions. During its tenure, the Congress faced criticism for turning many schemes into avenues for corruption.
Q/ Schemes like Gothan that were aimed at supporting cattle farmers appear to have fallen short of making a significant impact. What plans does your government have in addressing this issue?
A/ As mentioned earlier, we are committed to thoroughly evaluating all schemes implemented by the previous government. Some initiatives displayed promising concepts, yet suffered from inadequate execution. Unfortunately, these schemes often served as channels for awarding work to specific contractors affiliated with the previous government, leading to budget misallocation and instances of corruption.
Q/ Naxalism continues to be a threat in Chhattisgarh. How is the government planning to contain this?
A/ Our government has been urging Naxals to surrender and embrace peace, but their actions show that they reject it and indulge in violent acts of killing innocent people. Naxalism in the state is mainly in border areas. We are setting up security camps to ensure safety and development in a 5km radius, like the successful Niyad Nellanar Scheme in Bastar [to provide basic amenities in Naxal-affected villages]. Through development, and by converting security camps to convenience camps, we aim to diminish Naxalism.
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Q/ How is your government planning to enhance education, health care and civic administration?
A/ We have adopted the National Education Policy to improve educational environment across all educational institutions. Our focus is on delivering quality education to every student, refurbishing school buildings and addressing teacher shortages. Similarly, in health care, we are undertaking extensive preparations, ensuring adequate staffing and presence of doctors in all hospitals. Our goal is to guarantee access to health care for every member of society.
Q/ How is this government pursuing scamsters? Will cases against the corrupt be fast-tracked?
A/ We have a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, and investigations into the alleged corrupt practices during the previous government’s tenure have commenced. Those found guilty are being dealt with firmly. The complaints regarding the Public Service Commission scam are now with the CBI. As you are aware, the state has registered criminal cases. The outcomes of our anti-corruption efforts will become evident soon. We choose not to publicise our actions. Instead, we are allowing investigative agencies to fulfil their responsibilities.
Q/ Corruption was a major issue in the assembly polls. What steps have been initiated to ensure a clean administration?
A/ Our government is committed to eradicating corruption by leveraging technology wherever feasible. We pledge to establish a state devoid of corruption and fear.