Vasundhara Raje lead BJP government, did not shelve any of the developmental schemes, started by the previous Ashok Gehlot led Congress government. Contrary, it improved them. But the new Congress government has shelved or in the process of shelving about half a dozen welfare schemes, merely on the ground that these were started by BJP government and were associated with the names of RSS or BJP leaders.
To ensure the public participation in rural schemes, BJP government had started Jan Bhagidari Vikas Yojna. The scheme was aimed at to create and maintain public assets, like having community building in the villages, with the participation of local people.
This was named after MS Golwalkar affectionately called Shri Guruji, the second Sarsanghachalak of RSS.Under the scheme government was providing 70 per cent of the cost and remaining was to contributed by the people
The scheme was started in 2004-2005 by allocating Rs five crore. But seeing its success, government increased the allocation to Rs 30 crore for the current financial year.
But in a recent budget related meeting of the officials, it was decided not to allocate any fund for the scheme during the next financial year. BJP government had started a scheme to encourage the people to have model villages, where villagers would wow not to go for child marriage, no consumption of liquor and disbanding of the Mirtyu Bhoj (organising of community meal on the death of an elder in the family).
If village fulfills this criterion, it would get Rs15 lakh as additional fund for any development scheme . The scheme was named as Deendayal Upadhayay Adarsh Gram Yojna and so far government had selected over 150 villages. But this scheme may not find its name and funds in the next financial year'sbudget as Congress government is not in favour of continuing the scheme.
BJP government with the people'sparticipation had also started schemes like Shantipriya Gaon Anudan Yojna, Bainkunthdham Muktidwar Yojna and Nirmal Ghat Yojana. But according to the top official sources, new government has decided to close these schemes from the next financial year.
The fate of BJP'swomen empowerment scheme, Bhamashah Yojana is hanging in the balance. Under the scheme, government was to open at least 50 lakh bank accounts in the name of women welfare in the rural areas. Government was to provide Rs 1,500 to each woman to open the account. They would have been given smart cards to operate the account, where money received as wages under NAREGA was to be deposited. Government had allocated about Rs 900 crore for the scheme.
The implementation of the scheme started in August last year. But the Rajasthan High Court put a stay on the scheme. Around the same time the Election Commission had also asked the State government not to proceede further on the scheme. By that time about 12 lakh accounts had already been opened and government had spent Rs 160 corer on them.
With the coming of new government, chief minister Ashok Gehlot appointed a three member ministerial committee to review the scheme. The committee had met thrice but could not decided whether scheme should continue or abandoned.
According to the Industries Minister, Shanti Dhariwal, there are certain lacunas in the scheme and government wants to expand it further. But sources said that government was not in a hurry to take any decision about the continuation of the scheme.
Though former chief minister Vasundhara Raje was not available for comment, according to Babulal Gujjar, Rural Development Minister in her government, says that these schemes were focused on to encourage the people'sparticipation in government schemes. Results of these schemes were excellent. It was unfortunate that new government is discounting the scheme merely because these were named after some great people of the country.
