For Prithviraj Chavan, the chief minister-designate of Maharashtra, it is a transition from a Diwaan-e-khaas to Diwaan-e-aam. From Delhi’s backroom politics to the politics of masses, Chavan faces huge challenge in his new assignment.
The CM-elect would have to strive to regain the state’s past glory, as its earlier eminence has been challenged by Gujarat, Karnataka, and many other states. Besides, the burgeoning debt burden, which has already crossed Rs 1,70,000 crore, rising fiscal and revenue deficits had put increasing pressure on the administration to avoid overdrafts.
Further, the Congress-led government has launched massive infrastructure plans worth Rs 60,000 crore for Mumbai alone to address the rising influx due to fast urbanisation. However, due to lack of cooperation and coordination among various agencies such as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, there have been slippages in achieving deadlines. Further, the planning for various infrastructure projects is unable to keep pace with the rising needs of Mumbaikars.
A senior Congress minister in the Cabinet headed by outgoing chief minister Ashok Chavan, told Business Standard on the condition of anonymity, “The issue of regional imbalance is also quite serious. Ironically, now both Chief Minister-elect Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister-elect Ajit Pawar (of the NCP) hail from irrigation-rich western Maharashtra. They would be forced to give prominence to less irrigated and under-developed Vidarbha, Marathwada and Khandesh regions of the state. The budgetary allocation needs to be increased for these regions to avoid criticism from legislators.”Even though the incidents of farmer suicides, especially in the Vidarbha region, have been brought under control due to financial packages of the central and state governments, the low pace of agricultural growth continues to be a major challenge for the government.
“While Gujarat and Bihar have gone way ahead in achieving high agricultural growth, it is yet to cross 4 per cent in Maharashtra,” the minister added.
The minister said the law and order situation was another issue which requires priority. “The burgeoning activities of Naxalites in the border districts of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli are a serious matter of concern. Even though the state government has issued showcause notices to over 3,000 police and state government personnel for not reporting to duties in these areas, the government would have to step up vigilance and networking to keep the Naxalite menace under control. As Prithviraj has been in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for six years, he could play a major role in getting the Centre’s assistance in this regard,” the minister added.
Maharashtra, which used to be power-surplus till 1994-95, is currently reeling under a power shortage of 5,000 Mw daily. The state government has declared it would be load shedding-free by 2012. Chavan, who was closely associated with the revival of the Dabhol power project in his capacity as the minister of state in the PMO, would have to supervise the capacity addition programme.
Moreover, the CM-elect would have to contain builders and developers to avoid any scams pertaining to the floor space index and illegal constructions in Mumbai and other Tier-II and Tier-III cities. The Congress-NCP ruling alliance had promised to construct one million houses to low and middle income group people during its current term. Chavan would have to kick-start housing projects and supervise its implementation.
