Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

BJP cleared more schemes than Cong in 5 yrs: Sharma

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes.com

Union minister Mahesh Sharma said Thursday that both central and state government­s have expeditiou­sly and transparen­tly implemente­d developmen­tal schemes in the last five years, and accused the Congress for indulging in what he termed was “vulture politics”.

The minister of environemn­t and forests said the Rajasthan government has taken various labour reforms to boost investment and industrial production besides creating job opportunit­ies in the state. “Rajasthan is progressin­g as fast as a developing state by shedding away the BIMARU tag,” Sharma said.

He said the BJP is a cadrebased party with its policies, leadership and intention “very clear”. “The vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to take the country and the state on the developmen­t path rising above the religion and caste barriers,” the minister said.

He also took a jibe at the Congress, which, he said, “can’t even decide its chief ministeria­l candidate whereas the BJP has declared names of 162 candidates” for the assembly elections in Rajasthan, scheduled to take place on December 7.

“Idhar se kuchh bach jayega toh vulture politics kiya jayega. Agar inhone diya phir dekhenge humey kisko dena hai. (If anything is left, then vulture politics will set in. If one party gives (tickets), then we will see whom should be give (the ticket) to),” Sharma said, seemingly making claims about the way tickets are distribute­d in the Congress.

He said the grand old party suffers from this “negative mindset”. “They don’t know where their leadership is headed. Their leadership is dwarfed in front of our PM Narendra Modi.”

Sharma said that in one year, the environmen­t ministry has “completed more projects than were cleared in the last 70 years”. “The environmen­t ministry has cleared projects worth Rs 9.34 lakh cr in one year,” he said, and claimed that during the Congress rule, “it would take 600 days to clear files” which has “now been reduced to 90 days and our target is to bring it down to 60 days”. Sharma also indirectly referred to former environmen­t minister Jayanthi Natarajan over the allegation­s that “tax” had been paid to political leaders before giving environmen­tal clearances.

He said the BJP government has spent ~139 crore on country’s tourism spots whereas the previous Congress government spent merely ~36 crore in five years.

On the mining ban in the state by the Supreme Court, which has brought constructi­on activity to a standstill and rendered lakhs of labourers jobless, Sharma said the ministry is trying to resolve the issue.

“We are trying to find a winwin situation to the issue of pollution caused by bajari and damage to the environmen­t caused by mining activity,” he said.

JAIPUR:

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