When politics takes precedence over welfare
Four years after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi took up the poverty and backwardness of the Bundelkhand region, apparently for political gains, that triggered a war of words between the Centre and the UP government, the woes of this impoverished region appear to have become a victim of politics.
According to official figures, over 250 farmers have committed suicide in the region during the past five years though the unofficial figure is much higher at 1,100. While the voluntary organisations have claimed that many farmers killed themselves because of debt and hunger, the government has denied it and said that all of them were suffering from diseases.
The only good that Rahul’s frequent visits to the region and slamming the Mayawati regime for its negligence did was, it catapulted the region’s misery at the national level despite the Centre’s special financial package to this part of the country.
Offical’s apathy
The entire region presents a picture of official apathy and reflects a gross neglect in the implementation of the Central and state developmental projects though those responsible for their implementation allegedly amassed huge wealth.
The Mayawati regime had sought a package of Rs 80,000 crore for Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal (eastern region) regions for taking up developmental projects. The Centre provided Rs 3,600 crore for drought relief but the situation did not change.
Vice-chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia had demanded a thorough inquiry into alleged bunglings in use of the Central assistance after a visit to the region.
Rampant corruption
The UP Lokayukta is also investigating a complaint that relatives of the state PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui had got subsidised tractors under the Central scheme meant for helping farmers in Bundelkhand. The scheme was part of the financial package for the region and was intended to help farmers acquire farm machinery like tractors, cultivators, seeds drills and other agricultural equipment at subsidized price.
Beneficiaries of the scheme in all the seven districts of UP — Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur and Mahoba were selected through a doubtful and non-transparent process, according to sources.
In Mahoba, the officials claimed that they had dug over 300 wells with an objective of solving the water crisis. However, sources said that barely a few wells were dug and the money was distributed among the contractors and politicians.
“People of the region have no choice other than voting along the caste lines as no party has done anything for it,” Mishra said.
