FOC
With excellent civic poll victories adding to his clout, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shri Babulal Gaur, was in the capital to press for Central assistance for pending state projects. Shri Gaur, while talking to Organiser, said, “I personally visited every ministry to coordinate the programmes. By the way, I have also placed some new projects for approval. I had a meeting with MPs of Madhya Pradesh and have taken their suggestions on various subjects.”
When asked whether the Congress MPs had raised the issues of the state in the Parliament, Shri Gaur replied that he was satisfied with the MPs of all the parties; even with those of the Congress. He further clarified that none of the MPs were dissatisfied with his government in the state, “rather we have told them to plead with the UPA government to increase the power supply which the Power Ministry had abruptly reduced, despite our making regular payment.” He urged the MPs to monitor the projects related to health and rural development on a priority basis.
The Chief Minister expressed his unhappiness over the undue delay over the establishment of a medical institute in the state despite the announcement of the NDA government to start an AIIMS in Bhopal. “Work on the project has come to a standstill” and for that he met the Union Health Minister, A. Ramdoss. He placed his request for building more health centres as Madhya Pradesh has only one health centre which is in the 35 km range—a range that is low in comparison to the national level, which stipulates one health centre in a radius of 25 km. “We have put forth our demand for financial assistance to the tune of Rs 270 crore to build sub-health centres.” He added that the state government has also sent a proposal to the Centre to build four trauma centres in Madhya Pradesh.
Shri Gaur later met the Union Human Resources Minister, Arjun Singh, to seek Central status for the Hari Singh Gaur University near Sagar.
Shri Singh also assured the Chief Minister that he would provide assistance for building a memorial in memory of the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy.
