Six states are going to have assembly elections next year, some in the next six months. And most state governments announced major concessions to woo voters on or just before independence day.Manipur, Goa, Gujarat, UP, Uttaranchal and Punjab are to have assembly elections in 2007. In Manipur, separatists declared a 17-hour general strike to enforce a boycott of India's independence day celebrations which dampened the mood somewhat. In Gujarat, owing to the floods independence day celebrations were low key. Chief Minister Narendra Modi is facing a massive attack, especially in South Gujarat, for his government's lack of management of floods. Therefore, observers expect Modi to make major announcements to win over angry Hindu voters in the next few months.But for the other state governments profligacy seemed to be the shortest route to reelection. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, has made it clear that the state will not advance assembly elections and will hold them on schedule in March-April 2007. He has been making large cash doles for some months now. Unemployed graduates registered with various employment exchanges in the state are now entitled to a monthly unemployment dole of Rs.500. He has also announced cash awards to families with just one girl child, in the form of a grant of Rs 20,000 to be instituted as a fixed deposit either for the girl's education or her marriage. The custodian will be the district administration. But on 14 August, making his customary eve of independence day speech, Yadav reviewed for the benefit of voters, all the incentives he has given: the benefits for sugarcane, 71% allocation in the budget for the welfare of villages, a Rs 100 crore grant for the Bhoomi Sena Yojna and the purchase of free medicines for the poor worth Rs 184 crore. Yadav also said the state had recieved Rs 16,000 crore as investments for industries to be set up in UP. In the last one month, Yadav has laid the foundation stones of 169 schemes amounting to Rs 358 crore.In Punjab, Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, said on the eve of independence day, that farmers who did not get bonus because of the sale of their wheat to private traders would be paid this sum by the state government.He announced a One Time Settlement (OTS) of agricultural loans of cooperative banks to all the farmers who have paid 100% or more of their principal loan amount. This would provide a relief of Rs 211 crore to the farmers. He said that the interest rate on crop loans had already been reduced from 14% to 7%. He also announced that the state government would repair the water channels of all the villages at a cost of Rs 75 crore. The Chief Minister also announced the state assembly would legislate to ensure reservation for Balmikis and Mazhabi Sikhs. The state is one of the first to announce the 5th Pay Commission.In Uttaranchal, unfortunately midway through his speech in Dehradun, Chief Minister ND Tiwari fainted and had to be taken away to take rest. However, not before he had reassured, on the microphone, the waiting crowds that there was nothing wrong with his health. In the budget unveiled by him in March this year, Tiwari had announced a handful of sops: no new taxes which deepened the state's fiscal deficit by Rs 401.59 crore, 30% reservation for women in the government jobs and a Rs 32.50 crore universal employment scheme for the unemployed educated youth of the state. Today he announced 10% reservation for the kin of those involved in the agitation for statehood and pension to the families. The financial implications of these announcements are yet to be calculated.The Goa government has earlier this year, announced a scheme providing insurance cover to unorganised sector workers like motor cycle pilots, drivers, cleaners, pot makers, traditional artisans and agricultural labourers. The government has also announced a project for day care homes for senior citizens. According to the state government, a state rural employment guarantees scheme will be launched shortly - no doubt closer to the forthcoming elections.
