Newly appointed Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has come into the election mode and each decision being taken by him is with the intention to garner the support of the people. For instance, by presenting people oriented State Budget, CM Rawat has targeted four communities including business, dalit, punjabi and muslim.
With the budget, the Government has curtailed VAT on cooked food from 13.5 percent to five per cent; decided to open two Babu Jagjivan Ram School in Makkhanpur and Bhagwanpur of Haridwar district; Urdu and Parsian academy will be established at Kaliyar Sharif and Punjabi academy at Dehradun. With these decisions, Rawat has been targeting above four communities ahead of the lok Sabha election which is due in April or May this year.
Political analyst said that Rawat has tried to get incorporated their planning in the State budget and remaining issues were addressed in Cabinet meeting. In view of the upcoming panchayat election and the General election, Rawat Government is fighting against the time to take decisions in already delayed distribution of compensation by the State Government to the victims of the last year’s disaster.
With this step he has sent a clear message across the bureaucrats, who were earlier known as the master of the State Government, but now are following the Government instructions by issuing minute, that you don’t have option other than work. He has not reshuffled the bureaucrats who have also been working to remain in their chair. To avoid any delay, CM Rawat has not distributed portfolio among the Cabinet Minister so that officials are taking direct permission from State Government. He has also made the Cabinet colleagues to give more and more public oriented ideas to prove their interest to hold portfolio of their interests.
To understand the pulse of public representatives especially the Congress party, Rawat has convened the Congress legislature Party (ClP) meeting twice in last seven days. Sources said that during meeting Rawat had categorically asked fellow members to be vocal and guide the State Government about how State can bring development. To curtail the time between Cabinet decision and issuance of minutes, which is being considered as an order of State Government for the district administration, same day minutes are being issued by the State.
By reducing VAT on food, Rawat has tried to win the heart of hoteliers, who work as an ambassador between the State and tourists. With this decision hotel industry would get the much needed boost. Realising that large number of Dalit community resides in Haridwar, Rawat Government has decided to open residential school on the name of Babu Jagjivan Ram, where they would impart education from I to XII for schedule castes. Initially, budget provision for two such schools in Haridwar has been made and later one school will be opened in each district of the State.
In the budget, State Government has made a provision to provide two kg salt and two kg pulses including a kg each of normal and hilly pulse to ration card holder in malnourished areas. With this decision, he has sent message that now since the people will get Government salt so they can’t ditch them during election.