Modi govt’s 3 yrs: BJP’s publicity with ‘PSUs ka saath’
CENTRAL PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS TO FOOT THE BILL FOR ‘SABKA SAATH SABKA VIKAS’ SAMMELANS AT 18 PLACES IN PUNJAB WITH BJP LEADERS AS CHIEF GUESTS
CHANDIGARH : Call it the BJP’s inclusive development model or blurring of lines between the government and the ruling party? The Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre is organising ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas Sammelans’ in Punjab to mark its three years in power and create awareness about the outcomes of its good governance initiatives and schemes.
The sammelans (gatherings) will be held at 18 places in the coming two weeks to popularise Ujwala Scheme, Prime Minister’s Mudra Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Jan Aushadhi Yojana, Sukanya Samridhi, Swachh Bharat Yojana and other “common-man centric welfare” programmes of the BJP government.
While central public sector undertakings such as Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Indian Oil Corporation have been roped in to make arrangements and foot the bill for these programmes, BJP leaders from Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and other states will be chief guests.
The central government has assigned locations to each PSU, asking them to make arrangements for the events. IOC has been allocated Nabha and Fazilka where Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh and BJP MP Gajender Singh Shekhawat will be main dignitaries, respectively, at the Modi government’s third anniversary events. Similarly, PGCIL is to provide logistical support for the events in Hoshiarpur and Sangrur on June 9 and 11.
While BJP state unit president Vijay Sampla will be the chief guest in his Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, BJP MP Prabhat Jha, who is also state prabhari (in-charge) of Punjab, will attend the event at Sangrur.
Similarly, BPC has been assigned three locations and another PSU given five. “I got the list of locations from my headquarters and detailed instructions with the names of state BJP leaders with whom we have to coordinate for the anniversary events. The party leaders have appointed location coordinators,” a PSU official, who is making the arrangements, told Hindustan Times, requesting anonymity.
The central ministries have circulated lists of state government departments handling these programmes.
As per an official note, the PSUs have to book a hall or pitch a tent to accommodate around 2,500 people, give pre-event publicity, make arrangements for audio-visual publicity (LED screens, laptops etc.), identify scheme beneficiaries and arrange a post-event press meet. “While we will arrange the event, the BJP leaders will get the crowd,” said the official.
Former minister Manoranjan Kalia, state convener for Modi government’s third anniversary celebrations, said all these are official programmes of the Central government. “These are general programmes. They have deputed officials. Anyone is free to attend these. There will be a chief guest of the party, MP or ministers of NDA government. If Congress leaders want to come and celebrate three years of the government, I invite their MPs also. Our role is only to facilitate them,” he said.