By
L.S. Herdenia
BHOPAL: On the eve of Rahul Gandhi’s
visit, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath announced several populist
decisions. The decisions include stipend of Rs. 4,000 per month for unemployed
urban youth, 100 days employment in a year for urban youth, 10 HP electricity
at half rate for farmers, 62 lakh domestic consumers to get up to 100 units of
power at Rs. 100 per month, Rs. 600 per month social security pension for BPL
elders and widows. Till now they were getting Rs. 300 per month.
Giving details about the decisions
which cabinet approved Minister for urban administration Jaivardhan Singh said
that Madhya Pradesh has become the first state to provide 100 days’ guaranteed
employment for jobless urban youth. “An unemployed urban youth, between 21 and
30 years of age, with a family income of less than Rs. 2 lakh a year, will get
100 days of training and employment under this new scheme.
“There is no minimum qualification
required to register but training will be given according to educational
qualification. A graduate will be trained in computers while a Class 5 pass
maybe taught electrical work or welding”. Singh said, adding that registrations
will start on February 10 at 160 urban local bodies. Applicants need to give
Aadhaar as residential proof, he said. “The government says 6.5 lakh youth will
benefit from the scheme and the best performers under the skill training
programme will get placement opportunities. Those registered under the
programme will get Rs. 13,000 stipend annually and the state will spend Rs. 800
crore a year on the scheme – 90% of which will be borne by the urban
administration department and 10% by urban local bodies.
Saral Bijli Yojana of former Shivraj
Singh Chouhan government will now be covered under Indira Griha Jyoti Youjana
of the Kamal Nath administration. Minister for energy Priyavrat Singh said. 62
lakh domestic consumers will benefit from the scheme, 6 lakh of whom were
already getting benefit of Saral Yojana at flat rate of Rs. 200. The state
government will bear a subsidy of Rs. 2,226 crore annually for this.
Indira Kisan Jyoti Yojana will benefit
27 lakh agricultural consumes and an additional 2 lakh farmers with temporary
pump connections “Up to 10 HP bill has been halved from Rs. 1,400 per HP to Rs. 700” said Priyavrat Singh
adding that the burden on the state exchequer will be Rs. 667 crore. There will
be 8 lakh beneficiaries from SC/ST categories, he added.
Besides these populist measure having
financial implications. Kaml Nath severed stern warning to cow vigilantes. “We
will not spare anybody involved in mob lynching or instigating violence in the
name of cow protection. The government has issued instructions to Police to act
sternly against those involved in violent activities and hooliganism in the
name of saving holy cattle”. CM Nath said after a high level meeting on
Gaushala bill in Mantralaya.
The CMs statement came in the wake of
a series of incidents in Rajgarh, Guna and Ujjain where cow vigilantes have
waylaid trucks transporting cattle. In Guna on Wednesday Gau Rakshaks ransacked
a truck transporting cattle alleging cruel treatment to the animals and beat up
the driver and assistant staff.
It may be mentioned here that Chief
Minister’s announcement of tough action against Cow vigilantes came in the wake
of invoking National Security Act (NSA) against some offenders who were caught
transporting cattle without valid permission.
Just two days after Khadwa
administration invoked NSA for cow slaughter, Agar Malwa district
administration on Thursday charged two suspects under the stringent law for
illegally transporting cattle. Collector Ajay Gupta invoked NSA against Mehboob
Khan of Lamba Khedi village and Rodmal alias Rodu Malivy of Agar Malwa. SP
Manoj Singh had recommended the action after the accused were found
transporting cows illegally on Thursday. The accused are repeat offenders say
police. They were caught with cattle on January 29, 2018 in Agar Malwa. Khan
faces four cases of illegal trafficking of cows and Malviya three.
This extreme act was criticised by
none less than former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Digvijaya
Singh. Digvijay Singh said that “he feels invoking NSA for Cow slaughter was
unnecessary. The district administrations invoke NSA to control law and order.
In any such incident Police decides which section or law they will invoke. But
in this case I personally believe that there is no sense in invoking NSA.”
Besides Digvijay Singh Congress MLA
from Bhopal Arif Masood also criticised the use of NSA. He claimed that none of
the accused was involved in Cow slaughter. The Congress minority cell also
lodged its protest in New Delhi in the presence of Congress President Rahul
Gandhi, it is learnt.
However state Home Minister Balla
Bacchan justified the action. Surprisingly BJP legislator Rameshwar Sharma
hailed the invocation of the NSA for the protection of Cow.
(IPA Service)
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