Uttarakhand: Politics

Uttrakhand chief minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri is a busy man. With assembly elections round the corner, he has been travelling the state laying foundation stones and inaugurating development projects. There is, however, no word on the 250-odd projects announced under ambitious Vikas Yatra by his predecessor Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'.

Six months after he had assumed office Pokhriyal had overseen the preparations for the Maha Kumbh Mela at Haridwar. At the time he demanded that he should get the Nobel prize for  organising it so well. Soon after he undertook a Vikas Yatra promising development wherever he went. Unemployed youth were promised jobs, there was talk of setting up hydro power stations, setting up of industries and laying of roads.

Then in April came the damning report from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) putting the BJP state in a spot. CAG report revealed that the government had indulged in wasteful and unauthorised expenditure of nearly Rs 43 crore in the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Many of the projects started then remain incomplete. Some of the contracts given out for projects exist only on paper. During his tenure he also announced that the state will implement the 6th Pay Commission recommendations. The benefits of the announcement is yet to reach government employees who have been agitating. Similarly, Rs 32.98 crore was announced for areas falling under Boarder Area Development Programme (BADP).

On June 13, 2011 Nishak and senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi flagged off the second phase of Antodya Vikas Rath Yatra. Projects promised during this yatra are still to start.
After allegations of corruption and irregularities in sanctioning of contracts the BJP replaced Pokhriyal with Khanduri. Interestingly On 24 June 2009 the BJP had done exactly the opposite. At that time they had removed Khanduri and brought in Pokhriyal.

The moment Khanduri took over he cancelled promises made by Pokhriyal. This included the announcement on August 15 of the  formation of four new districts – Ranikhet, Didihat, Yamunotri and Kotdwar. Khanduri is in a hurry to endear himself to the citizens of the state. 

Though Khanduri and Nishank may differ in appearance and temperament, their style and method of functioning is exactly the same. Promise sops and raise hope. Deliver none.