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Why is centre making farm ponds and training masons?

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FM Arun Jaitley with the Budget papers before presenting them in parliament on Feb 1 (photo: Arun Jaitley); the Budget has set a target of additional five lakh farm ponds in rural areas in 2017-2018.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]New Delhi-directed and monitored rural sector spending in the era of economic liberalisation

Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr

One of the curious facts contained in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s 2017-18 Budget speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday is exceeding the target in making farm ponds. Jaitley in the speech had said: “The target of five lakh farm ponds and 10 lakh compost pits announced in the last Budget from MNGREGA funds will be fully achieved. In fact, against the five lakh farm ponds, it is expected that about 10 lakh farm ponds would be completed by March 2017. During 2017-18, another five lakh farm ponds will be taken up. This single measure will contribute greatly to drought proofing of gram panchayats.”

It might appear cynical to point a finger when the government not only meets the target but exceeds the target as well. What seems to emerge from this fact about the creation of farm ponds is that the money is being spent from the rural employment guarantee scheme of MGNREGA, which can be claimed is a good thing. It cannot be disputed. But the curious issue is who is taking the decision on making farm ponds? Is it the decision of the gram panchayat? Does it feel that it is what the village needs? Or is it a gratuitous way of keeping people employed under the MGNREGA scheme? The classic version is that of digging holes and filling them up in times of economic depression. In 2004, in the first UPA-I Budget, the then finance minister P Chidambaram talked about renewing water bodies in the villages.

It would appear that the imperious central government wants to be seen working at grassroot levels, a sort of micro-management when it is a well known fact that agriculture is a state subject, and decisions with regarding to agriculture should be made at the local level. There can also be a debate on whether farm ponds are part of an irrigation source or safe drinking water source. Or is part of the much-touted water-harvesting?

It is a well known fact that from ancient times, digging up tanks in villages has been an established practice for purposes of drinking water as well as irrigation. But should that decision be left to the panchayats? Why is the central government taking up the responsibility of digging farm ponds? It is, of course, a good deed. But the central government should be doing bigger things and leave small issues to the local authorities to sort out. Remember that farm ponds by their very nature are not permanent structures. They are in need of constant upkeep.

The other curious detail in the finance minister’s Budget speech with regard to spending in the rural sector is the training of masons. While announcing an increase in the allocation of Rs 4,500 crore in 2017-18 under the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission for promotion of skill development and livelihood opportunities for people in rural areas, the minister said: “Mason training will be provided to 5 lakh persons by 2022” and the immediate target is of turning out 20,000 masons in 2017-18.

There is no doubt that the country needs trained masons and other skilled workers. But that issue needs to be addressed at various levels and the central government should not be involved in it, and it should not be part of the aims of the Union Budget. Why is there so much of involvement on the part of the government? Of course, socialists and other do-gooders are sure to hail the work of the NDA government with regard to farm ponds and masons. It only proves that the right-wing BJP does not have a mind of its own with regard to its economic philosophy. It shows that this is not the party of economic reforms and of less governmental interference in the economic activities and the lives of the people in the country. This government wants to prop up the economy and be seen to be doing it. The farm ponds-and-masons story says it all.

Lead picture: FM Arun Jaitley with the Budget papers before presenting them in parliament on Feb 1 (photo: Arun Jaitley); the Budget has set a target of additional five lakh farm ponds in rural areas in 2017-2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

PM Modi says Congress leaders consider themselves above Lord Ram

PM Modi slammed Congress during a rally in Chhattisgarh, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress party for declining to attend the pran pratishtha ritual at the Ayodhya Ram temple on January 22 this year.

The prime minister said Congress leaders consider themselves above Lord Ram and denied invitation for Pran Pratishtha at Ram Temple, while speaking at a rally in Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh. The PM question the people present at the rally that is it not a disrespect of Mata Shabri? Congress leaders inclination toward appeasement politics runs in their family.

For political appeasement, they won’t think twice about stealing the rights of Adivasis, the poor, and Dalits. Poor, young, and women are BJP’s top priorities, Modi said.

PM Modi criticized the Congress again during the rally for claiming that the BJP would alter the constitution.

The leaders of Congress recite the same old phrases whenever an election is about to happen, the PM said. He also said they claim that if the BJP wins power, it will renounce the constitution and abolish reservations. For how long will you continue selling lies?” he asked.

The prime minister continued saying that nobody can change the Constitution, even if Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar were to come and insist on it, it wouldn’t happen.

Those in the Congress threaten to break Modi’s head. Nobody can harm Modi as long as the mothers and sisters of this county stands by him. These mothers and sisters are Raksha Kavach, Modi remarked.

The prime minister further attacked the Congress after Viriato Fernandes, the party’s candidate for South Goa, asserted that Goa was forced to adopt the Indian Constitution.

Referring to his conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Fernandes said he had told him, when Goa was liberated in the year 1961, the Indian Constitution was forced upon us.

The prime minister said, Congress candidate from Goa says Constitution was forced upon Goans; is this not an insult of Ambedkar and Constitution.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Amit Shah says neither Congress nor Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee can interfere with CAA

Amit Shah revealed the BJP’s target for West Bengal and said they have set a target of winning 35 Lok Sabha seats from West Bengal.

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Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said neither Congress nor Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee can interfere with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He was speaking at the Karandighi rally in West Bengal where he also made the prediction as to how many seats BJP will win in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.

The union home minister asked the masses to cut the money culture. Amit Shah revealed the BJP’s target for West Bengal and said they have set a target of winning 35 Lok Sabha seats from West Bengal. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections the BJP had won 18 out of 42 seats in West Bengal. He asked Mamata Banerjee, what problem will she have if the Buddhist and Hindu refugees from Bangladesh get citizenship in India?

Shah further added if the people of West Bengal want to stop infiltration in the state, then they will have to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India again. He said if the people of West Bengal want to free Bengal of violence, stop infiltration in the state, give citizenship to refugees, to stop disrespecting mothers and sisters of the state as it happened in Sandeshkhali, then  only way is to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister.

Amit Shah said that PM Modi had sent Rs 7 lakh crore to West Bengal but the TMC indulged in corruption. He said one can see the houses of Trinamool Congress leaders; 10 years ago they used to live in a hut, moved on cycle and now all of them have 4-storey houses and move around in big cars. He added this is the money of people of West Bengal.

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), will make it easier for non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh to get Indian citizenship, was enacted in 2019. But the rules were notified in March this year by the Centre.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says listening to Hanuman Chalisa under Congress rule is a crime

PM Modi was addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, on a day as India celebrates Hanuman Jayanti.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Congress and said even listening to Hanuman Chalisa has become a crime under the party’s rule. The Prime Minister also said it was difficult to follow one’s faith under the party and accused it of hatching a deep conspiracy to snatch people’s wealth and distribute it among selected few people in the society. PM Modi was addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, on a day as India celebrates Hanuman Jayanti.

PM Modi said in a state like Rajasthan where people chant Ram-Ram, Congress banned Ram Navami. He reffered to the redistribution of wealth remarks he had made during a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday and said it has angered the Congress and INDI Alliance so much that they have started throwing abuses at Modi everywhere.

The Prime Minister said that Congress has written in their manifesto that they will survey the wealth. He said the Congress leadership had said in a speech that an X-ray of wealth will be done. He added when Modi exposed the secret then the hidden agenda came out and this has left the people trembling. PM Modi further added that the Congress party has played with the Constitution of the India.

He said when the Constitution was drafted, reservations based on religion were opposed, so that Scheduled Casts (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) could get protection. He said former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had said that Muslims have the first right to the country’s resources.  The prime minister further added Congress’s ideology has always been of appeasement and vote bank politics. He said stones would still be pelted in Jammu and Kashmir, and enemies would still be cutting off the heads of India’s soldiers had Congress been in power.

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