Rahul prepares Amethi plan

In another attack on the Samajwadi Party, Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi today said he had prepared his own strategy to ensure the development of his constituency, since he did not expect much from the Uttar Pradesh government.

"With the help of the Centre and my own local area development fund, I am trying to implement development plans in Amethi. I have accepted that the state government will not help much," Gandhi told reporters, after laying the foundation stone of 15 link roads, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 6.16 crore here.

He said he was not satisfied with the development of Amethi, conceding that work was being done in areas like road, power and education.

"Centre ki madad se, in sab kshetron mein kaam ho raha hai (work was being done in these areas with the help of the Centre)," he said. "But you cannot assess your own work," Gandhi said when asked to rate his performance on a scale of 10.

"We cannot sit idle even if when the state government decides not to help us in providing basic minimum infrastructure to the people here," Rahul said.

On the details, he said, "I cannot provide the exact details of the projects underway. Roads, electricity and literacy are some areas where we are working. We are also planning to have a eye hospital here".

Rahul said employment generation was the main problem area of his constituency and wanted to bring viable and feasible projects here.

"There is no point bringing a project here, which cannot be sustained in the long run. Work has to be taken up keeping in mind the predominant rural landscape of Amethi," he said.

Asked why he was seen only in Amethi, the young MP dropped a hint that he might tour other areas of the state once the monsoon was over.

Rahul's remarks are likely to anger the UP government.

At the CII annual conference, UP Economic Advisory Council Chief Amar Singh himself had admitted that development in UP was slow. But a frontal attack, like the one by Rahul, is unlikely to be let part unquestioningly by the state government.

The government is already angry with the public debate over the circumstances under which Neera Yadav was appointed to the post of chief secretary.