Ministers in Uttarakhand now seem to be enjoying authority without any responsibility following delay in allocation of portfolios days after formation of the new Cabinet led by Chief Minister Harish Rawat, taking oath of office on February 1, 2014.
The fact is that the Ministers are still continuing in office, but they are not taking up issues of larger public interests. leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt has said that he had sent certain queries of public concern to a Minister but the Minister concerned did not respond to the queries saying since departments are not allocated, therefore it is not appropriate for him (the Minister concerned) to respond on this matter.
“It is quite disappointing to know that the Ministers are not addressing the issues of greater public concern on the pretext of non allocation of the portfolios. But they don’t have any difficulty in flying in helicopters at the expense of the same public as we saw the Ministers using choppers to unveil projects in different districts on February 9,” alleged Bhatt. However, if the ‘taking all along policy’ as the pubic postures of newly appointed Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat suggest, is any indication, there will be hardly any major reshuffle as far as the change of Ministers’ portfolios and bureaucracy are concerned in the State.
More so, the Chief Minister has himself said that he doesn’t believe in such large scale transfer and postings. “I believe in work. If officials deliver, they will be rewarded. Otherwise, the Government will see how to work,” he has maintained. Yet, many a minister particularly ‘influential ones’ have started lobbying for portfolios of their choice. It is believed that as the sources in the corridors of power suggest, the State Parliamentary Affairs Minister and MlA from Haldwani Assembly constituency Indira Hridayesh, may get the PWD department which she had headed during her stint as minister in the ND Tiwari led Congress Government.
It may be recalled that even during previous Vijay Bahuguna led Government she was expecting to get the PWD department. But she had to content with finance along with some other departments. Since the State Government has, under the leadership of Harish Rawat, already charted out its task ahead, putting rebuilding of infrastructure in the disaster hit areas including the Char Dham route on its priority list, it is to be seen how long it takes to settle down for governance on the ground.