Lucknow: Apparently with an eye on next
year's Assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Mayawati unveiled over 600 projects worth Rs 4,000 crore on
the occasion of her 55th birthday on Saturday.
She also announced the implementation of Janhit Guarantee
Act, aimed at making government officials accountable to
public and ensuring timely delivery of services, especially
those related to dalits, poor and down trodden.
Describing the Act as "historic", she told a function
here that the idea is to fix accountability on officers who
would be penalised in case of laxity.
"Every year my birthday is celebrated as 'Jan Kalyankari
Diwas' on which my government takes decisions in the interest
of the people and gift them developmental schemes," she said.
She took the opportunity to hit out at the opposition and
a section of the media, saying they indulge in "baseless talks
which shows their casteist attitude towards dalits".
Instead of highlighting the public welfare measures taken
by her government, a section of the media and the opposition
talk about her "dress and jewellery", she said.
"As part of my birthday celebrations, which is dedicated
towards public welfare and uplift of poor, especially dalits,
camps on various schemes for the benefit of downtrodden are
being organised in all the 72 districts," she said.
Mayawati also announced increase of financial aid under
'Mukhyamantri Mahamaya Gareeb Arthik Madad Yojna' to Rs 400
per month from Rs 300 now, benefiting 31 lakh families.
She announced increase in dearness allowance for state
government employees and pension by 10 per cent with
retrospective effect from July 1, 2010.
To provide medical and health facilities in remote areas,
'Mukhyamantri Mahamaya Mobile Hospital scheme' was launched to
benefit people in 133 blocks across 15 districts.
The chief minister also directed release of poor, old and
sick prisoners lodged in various jails across the state.
The government will set up information centres in
villages with over 5,000 population next year. "Officials will
be available at these centres to provide services and
information on various scheme," she said.
Mayawati said to ensure better infrastructure facilities
in ancient and historical cities, the government has already
launched 355 projects worth Rs 15,000 crore.
"For Lucknow 53 projects worth Rs 3,984 crore have been
sanctioned as the number of tourist increased after important
places, museums and parks were named after icons belonging to
SC/ST and OBC communities," she said.
Among other schemes, the government has set up a sewage
treatment plant and taken up beautification work of Hazratganj
and Lalbagh markets in the state capital.
The chief minister also released the sixth volume of her
book 'Mera Jeevan Sangharsh aur BSP Movement ka Safarnama (My
struggle and travelogue of BSP)'.
First Published: Saturday, January 15, 2011, 16:22