In a concerted fight against the union government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with its state governments, has decided to launch an awareness campaign against the alleged economic disparities being carried out by the Congress-led UPA government.
The BJP and the national democratic alliance (NDA)-led state governments have been complaining to the central leadership that development programmes, coal linkages, power generation, better roads and reduced quota of rice and kerosene were some major road blocks being deliberately planted by the union government to hurt them.
On the second day of the BJP’s national executive in Lucknow, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi presented a resolution on disparities — ‘UPA - a grave threat to our federalism’. The resolution was immediately supported by Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Bihar’s deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi. The issues of alleged economic disparities by the Centre were also taken up by the state governments during the recent chief ministers' conclave in Delhi.
While presenting his resolution before the national executive, Narendra Modi pointed out that even as the Chhattisgarh government provided rice and wheat to BPL families, the union government had reduced the quota of foodgrains to the state.
“The Congress led UPA government has suddenly, and most abruptly, cut the kerosene quota by 32% for Gujarat. This means the state was denied 3 crore litres of kerosene a month,” he said.
Taking strong objection to the lack of funds in the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, Modi declared the work in Bihar had come to a standstill due to delayed release of funds. Karnataka chief minister, BS Yeddyurappa, has also told senior leaders his state was hardly getting any funds under the scheme.
Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said the special industrial package granted by the NDA government for 2003-2013 was unilaterally cut down by the Centre in 2007. After LK Advani met the PM and raised the issue, it was extended just till March 2010.
Modi said that though Bihar produced only 150 mega watts electricity, two dozen applications for setting up newer production units were not getting clearances as no coal block linkages were being provided. Karnataka was also suffering due to the long delay in allocation of coal linkage to its power projects.
