Questioning Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s absence from the NITI Ayog’s meeting Union Minister Kalraj Mishra said that Samajwadi Party Government was never interested in development of state and therefore avoided all those platforms where they could ask for additional funds or push their development schemes.
“How can a Chief Minister, who always blames Centre for lack of support, skip NITI Ayog meetingIJ This was the platform where he could have raised his demand and asked for additional funds,” Mishra told The Pioneer on Thursday.
He said that that it is easy to blame Centre without placing any facts and figures but difficult to face the people who are dealing with it. Therefore, Chief Minister found an easy way out and skipped the crucial meeting, he said.
“This shows how serious the Samajwadi Party Government is in implementing development schemes in the state. Almost every day Chief Minister issues statement seeking funds from the centre to speed up development but when the opportunity came on his way to put forth his case he squandered it,” he said and added: “The fact is, the state government does not have any idea. It is obsessed with Agra-lucknow Expressway leaving others state highways at the mercy of God “
Mishra, who is MSME minister in the Modi Government, said that under the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission Uttar Pradesh is the biggest gainer. The UP Government talks about slicing of some funds but is silent on increase in its share of central taxes from 32 per cent to 42 percent. This 10 per cent jump is huge and this gives freedom to the state to implement policies as per the need of the state, he said.
“The UP Government has spread a canard that Centre is not giving electricity. The fact is when ever UP asked for additional power it was issued there and then. Centre even gave money as compensation for farmers who lost their crop in rain but UP Government failed to utilize it,” he said.
Mishra said Samajwadi Party Government has failed to live up to it expectations of the people. The development has come to a naught. The state roads are in very bad shape. Government has failed to reign in corrupt like Yadav Singh and Gyatri Prajapati. The law and order is also very bad. People are fed up with this government and want a change, he said.