Digvijay, Laloo lambast Centre

By Our Staff Correspondent

PATNA, JULY 31. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, shared the rostrum with the former Chief Minister and RJD president, MR. Laloo Prasad Yadav, here today over the issue of ``developmental challenges at the State level,'' a topic that calls for identical application in the two States suffering from almost the same problems and afflictions.

The two were sure of the ills plaguing their States and appeared to understand the prescriptions to do away with the bottlenecks, but at evidence was their distinctive styles in exemplifying their line of action for determining results. Even as Mr. Digvijay Singh in his no-nonsense speech called for a firm attitude, Mr. Yadav in his usual jovial vein sought to favour a more aggressive process.

The two leaders held the Centre primarily responsible for their financial problems, Mr. Singh called for a review of the Centre- State relations, underlining the need for greater financial powers and decentralisation of powers even at the planning level. Mr. Yadav warned that a delay would only lead to a national crisis, what with regionalism rearing its head.

Mr. Singh took exception to the Centre's control over the States' resources and favoured State control over all the minerals, stressing that South Africa braved economic sanctions for the one reason that it lived on its minerals. Mr. Yadav too pointed out that the Centre's policies had pushed States like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa and the North Eastern States to the periphery and that a special push was needed to bring them on par with the developed States.

Mr. Singh disagreed with the present arrangement of the Centre sponsoring various schemes without taking into consideration whether these suited the States or not. He advocated that the States should be given grants and the freedom to draw suitable projects. Mr. Yadav, too, argued against the Centre by-passing the State in providing funds to district magistrates and threatened to enquire into the allegedly false utilisation of crores of rupees over literacy programmes.

The factor that bothered them both was what they described as ``over-governance''. Mr. Singh was against the increasing bureaucratisation of the system and supported downsizing of the bureaucracy. He spoke on the need to do away with the present system of appointing confirmed staff and payment of pension. He rooted for contractual appointment of officers and other employees for better financial leeway and administration.

Well, as he admitted, the non-performance of these officials contracted the anti-incumbency factor for the government in office. Mr. Singh was honest enough to acknowledge his eagerness for visiting Patna to learn a trick or two from Mr. Yadav in staving off this disastrous factor at the hustings.

Mr. Yadav was not lagging behind either on this front and indeed went one up on Mr. Singh. Obviously agreeing with his views, Mr. Yadav underlined the need for taking up with the Election Commission the imperative need to remove them from election duty before bring the axe down. Otherwise, he advised Mr. Singh, they would see to his defeat in the elections.

But, to be fair to Mr. Yadav, he also focussed on clipping the wings of politicians and leaders who prevented even contract employees from discharging their duties and spoil the image of the Government.

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