Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday informed that his government’s most awaited Universal Health Scheme (UHS) would begin on May 1 of this year.
In a budget debate in Assembly, he said that the scheme will be named as Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana. Gehlot in his budget speech on February 24, had informed UHS with Rs 3,500 crore in the forthcoming fiscal year in which cashless wellbeing of up to Rs 5 lakh will be given to all families in the state. Gehlot said that enlistment for those excluded from the National Food Security Act (NFSA)/Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) recipient rundown will start from April 1.
On the demands by the Congress and Opposition MLAs, the chief minister further informed that the government has increased the MLA Local Area Development (MLA LAD) fund from Rs 2.25 crore to Rs 5 crore annually. The decision was applauded by the MLAs in the assembly. However, he did not mentioned the date of its implementation.
In the starting of his speech and referring the Prime Minister Paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the CM said, “It is a good opportunity for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk to (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat and make such an environment — forget what happened in six years — there should be a new beginning in the country with harmony, love, brotherhood.”
“The way you speak, it sounds as if you only speak the truth, and nothing but the truth. But it isn’t so. You know how to speak lies in a way that it sounds truthful. And I have told you, in private too, don’t get angry. While speaking well and using such good words, you suddenly shift to ‘tu, ta’. It is a topic of research what emotion takes over you. Come to my office or residence, I will clear all your doubts, but don’t mislead the House,” Gehlot said hitting out at the Opposition leader Gulab Chand Kataria, who had spoken just before him in the assembly.
He alleged opposition for misleading and “stealing the headlines in newspapers, (you said) that in 2.5 years, 1.8 lakh jobs were announced but only 13,000 were given employment.”
“So far, we have given appointments in 97,000 jobs, while exams have been held/results declared for about 17,000 jobs and they will be given appointments soon. For another 37,000 posts, the advertisements have been issued and the exams will be conducted soon. For another 23,000, the process to issue advertisements is underway. This way, we are in the process of providing over 1.7 lakh jobs in just 2-2.25 years, and despite coronavirus,” said Ashok Gehlot.
Asserting on the Centre’s revenue he said when Centre is generating “the same revenue as 2019-20, then it is beyond understanding why you are decreasing the state’s share. Rajasthan’s share has decreased by 17 per cent. In 2019-20 we received Rs 10,000 crore less, Rs 14,000 crore less in 2020-21, and for 2021-22, we have already been told that we will receive Rs 12,000 crore less: this totals to Rs 36,000 crore”.
“The PM talks of cooperative federalism, but only talks about and doesn’t bring it in practice. The circumstances in the country are worrying,” said Rajasthan CM.
Taking jibe at BJP’s financial management Gehlot said, the financial management of BJP is just “bakwaas (rubbish). You may have vision but no financial management…In the House, we should talk where the parameters are headed, and criticism within that is justified.”
“In the last 10-12 years, there has been Revenue Surplus thrice, and every time it was during our tenure: 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. And in your time, there was a Revenue Deficit of Rs 3,215 crore, then Rs 15,954 crore in 2015-16, Rs 18,114 crore in 2016-17, Rs 18,534 crore in 2017-18 and Rs 28,900 crore in 2018-19,” he said. He said that the state’s Debt-to-GDP ratio was 36.38 per cent when he assumed power in 2008-09, “We reduced it to 23.58 per cent when we handed over the government to you (in 2013-14). But you again took it to 33.78 per cent. Now it is continuously increasing in our tenure due to the factors I listed – Centre’s devolution, GST, and the debts you gave to us when we assumed charge.” said the CM. Even the fiscal deficit has been very high under the BJP government, he added.
“In your time, Fiscal Deficit has always gone above 3 per cent: 3.09, 9.25, 6.09, 3.06 and 3.74 while, with us, it was 3.87 when we took charge from you, then 1.22, 0.83, 1.73 and 2.76.” said the state chief calling the state’s financial discipline better than the Centre’s discipline.
Apart from them, the Chief Minister announced various women-empowering schemes aiming at providing employment to around 15,000 women in next three years including work from home opportunities.
