Bastar people remind me of pre-poll promise: Singhdeo

We know you and thus you should fulfill all the promises, people told Health Minister T S Singhdeo.

Raipur:We will not be in a position to show our face if the promises are not fulfilled, Singhdeo said.

I will discuss the pending promises with the Chief Minister and try to implement as soon as possible, he said.

Summarising his four-day tour of Bastar region of Chhattisgarh to review the work of his department and take stock of progress, Chhattisgarh Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Panchayatand Rural Development Department T S Singhdeo said that the state government will have to fulfill its promises, made in the pre-poll manifesto as people demanded the same from him during his interaction with them. 

Singhdeo said that some pre-poll promises like wage, salary discrepancies and regularization of contractual employees remain unfulfilled till date which may be a concern.

“People of Bastar reminded me that they want all the promises, made in the manifesto, be fulfilled as they know me only. Their demands are genuine and thus they should be fulfilled or else we cannot show them our face. I would meet the Chief Minister and tell him about the pending work,” said Singhdeo while briefing media at his official bungalow in Raipur. Singhdeo reached Raipur after completing his four-day tour on Saturday evening.  

When asked about the approach of the Collectors and the SPs of Dantewada and Bastar during his tour, Singhdeo said that at least they should have shown some courtesy. “It is not mandatory for them to attend all the meetings I chaired, but they should have come to meet me just to say hello/hi. I was staying in the circuit house, not in my private bungalow,” said Singhdeo.  Honour is something which cannot be taken, it is given, said Singhdeo when asked about disciplinary action against the Collectors and SPs for their behavior. 

On the issue of coal block allocation through fake Gram Sabhasof Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, Singhdeo said that the meetings of the Gram Sabhas should be reorganized regarding coal block allotment in three Gram Panchayats in order to bring reality.  

To a query, Singhdeo said that BJP is paying the price for cheating on farmers. BJP promised bonus to farmers but did not fulfilled. Further the BJP-led Central government refused to lift the central pool when Congress government promised to give Rs 2500 minimum support price per quintal of paddy. This sent a wrong message among the farmers of Chhattisgarh. Therefore, Congress would get a clear majority in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Singhdeo said that there is some confusion over the provisions of the PESA –Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) among people in scheduled areas of the state. The issue will be discussed when Cabinet will meet in near future. 

Singhdeo said that the copy of the draft rules had been circulated to all departments and all Cabinet ministers. The cabinet ministers have been also provided the copy of the rules of PESA formulated by six states of the country, so that the Cabinet ministers could go through the rules. At present, PESA law is being implemented in six states and it is yet to be implemented in four states including Chhattisgarh, said SInghdeo. 

The Cabinet will decide on how much rights should be given to the Gram Panchayats under PESA, Singhdeo said, adding gram panchayats are not so empowered in the state. 

Singhdeo said that he visited eight districts of the state during his four-day tour and found that the monthly meetings of ZilaPanchayats and Gram Panchayats are not conducted. Directives have been given to hold the monthly meeting on priority to empower three-tier Panchayati Raj system. Collective decision should be taken to drop the monthly meeting of Panchayati Raj system in emergency system, he added. 

Singhdeo said that he would complete his tour by June and his tour to the remaining districts will be decided soon.