Yogi white paper targets SP, BSP govts’ ‘misrule’

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday released ‘White Paper- 2017’ that especially targets the Samajwadi Party and BSP-led governments for their ‘misrule’ and claims that his government inherited high indebtedness, debt-ridden PSUs and poor law and order situation from their governments of the past 15 years.

The 24-page ‘white paper’ refers to cases of corruption, including the Comptroller and Auditor General report (for year ending March 31, 2016) on construction of roads during SP regime “raising doubts on agreements through doubtful process of tendering for evaluation and selection of contractors” and the CBI inquiry that Yogi government has ordered into appointments made by UP Public Service Commission from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2017.

The white paper also refers to the CAG report for year ending March 31, 2013 on irregularities in construction of monuments in Lucknow and Noida during the BSP regime.

“This white paper is an effort to let people know about the conditions that we have inherited from the previous regimes…We are releasing this white paper a day before completing six months in office and will come out with our achievements on Tuesday or Wednesday,” said Yogi while speaking to media persons.

Though Yogi did not name the two parties, the white paper speaks about working of governments that ruled in past 15 years – 2003-04 to 2016-17.

Mayawati was in power from May 3, 2002 to August 29, 2003 and May 13, 2007 to March 15, 2012. The Samajwadi Party government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav was in power from August 29, 2003 to May 13, 2007 while his son Akhilesh Yadav remained state chief minister from March 15, 2012 to March 19, 2017 when Yogi took over as CM from him.

“As previous governments stopped or started spending less on development projects instead of curtailing wasteful expenditure, development came to a stop. A mischievous attempt was made to balance the deficit during this period,” said Yogi.

“Instead of being sensitive towards problems of people, the previous governments made an attempt to create anarchy by patronizing anti-social elements and corruption,” he said.

Yogi said the state had 65 working PSUs but they were now lying virtually closed due to conditions created during previous regimes. “In 2011-2012 the PSUs incurred losses of Rs 6,489.58 crore. The losses went up to Rs 17,789.81 crore in 20152016. Accumulated losses of PSUs also went up from 29380.10 crore in 2011-2012 to Rs 91,401.19 crore in 2015-2016. Loan of PSUs also went up from Rs 35,952.78 crore to Rs 75,950.27 crore in 2015-2016.”

Yogi said the state’s indebtedness went up from Rs 1,34,915 crore on March 31, 2007 to Rs 3,74,775 crore on March 31, 2017.

“This shows the state’s indebtedness went up 2.5 fold in the past 10 years,” he said and added that the previous government borrowed more than four per cent of gross income against the three per cent limit for such borrowings. Capital investment, meanwhile, went down from Rs 25,091 crore in 2009-2010 to Rs 23,834 crore in 2012-2013, he said.

The white paper targeted the SP regime for dedicating to public ‘incomplete projects’ that included Metro Rail, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Jai Prakash Narain International Centre, Gomti River Front, International Cricket Stadium, Cancer Institute and Trauma Centre of SGPGI.

“Agra-Lucknow Expressway was inaugurated in December 2016 when side road, drain, fencing, public amenities, toll booths and traffic management system were either incomplete or work on them had not started. This became a big threat to security of travellers,” reads the white paper.

Replying to a question about CAG and Lokayukta reports on monuments constructed during BSP government’s tenure, Yogi said these reports were tabled on the floor of the state legislature. Action would be taken after consideration of these reports by the house, he said.