Post the launch of 'Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress party on Saturday said that there is nothing new in the scheme as similar initiatives were taken during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.
"It's nothing new, whenever a new government is formed it takes initiatives, when the UPA was in power former prime minister Manmohan Singh and party president Sonia Gandhi also launched various schemes and took new initiatives for the future of the nation, including, Right to Information (RTI), Right to Education (RTE), MGNREGA, Food Security Act, etc. and achieved success also," said Congress leader Ashok Gehlot.
"Similarly, the current government also has a strategy that's why they are talking about village, schemes, etc. They are launching the UPA's schemes with a new name, but now it is to be seen how successful they become in it," Gehlot added.
Congress leader Rajeev Shukla echoing similar sentiments said that a lot has already been initiated for rural development since the tenure of former prime minister P. V. Narasimha Rao.
"This work has already been undertaken by the Rural Development Ministry under the UPA regime also, and P. V. Narasimha Rao had sanctioned the maximum amount of funds for rural development," said Shukla.
Questioning the idea behind the scheme, Shukla said that how it can be rooted through for the village development because it will be an individual unit.
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"Let's see how it goes because this is one scheme which the Prime Minister has said is for all the political parties and the people should go above party lines while implementing it. Let's see how it works," Shukla added.
Congress's Rashid Alvi, however, doubted the initiative. He said that it is a good scheme, but if one Member of Parliament (MP) is given one village and he is to develop it through his fund, what will happen to the rest of the constituency.
"It was Congress party's scheme to develop the village, to take cities towards villages, but if only one village will be given to one MP and that MP will develop it with his funds then what will happen to other constituencies? The Central Government should either help it in every way then it will develop, but if the MP is left only on his fund to develop any one village and make it a model village then the entire constituency will stand against him except that village," said Alvi.
He added that his party is looking forward for the development of not only one village but entire India to become a model country.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana' under which the Lok Sabha MPs will choose a village panchayat from within their constituency to ensure overall development of the village.
The scheme, which has been inaugurated on the birth anniversary of social reformer Jayaprakash Narayan, aims to provide access to health, education, sanitation and smart schools to the adopted villages.
Inspired by the principles and values of Mahatma Gandhi, the scheme places equal stress on nurturing values of national pride, patriotism, community spirit, self-confidence and on developing infrastructure.