CM Punjab’s Republic Day Speech at Ludhiana Lacks Vision - 26/01/2008
CM Punjab’s Republic Day Speech at Ludhiana Lacks Vision
Badal sahib’s delivery at Ludhiana was excellent, reflecting more than 5 decades in the service of the people; the content, however, left a lot to be desired.
Whilst each Republic Day marks the implementation of the nation’s constitution, a document designed to define and protect the liberties of the people, together with the powers and limitations of the legislatures, the judiciary and the executive, to ensure a transparent, responsive and equitable government for the people, Mr Badal’s speech was entirely silent on corruption, the primary reason why governments fail to deliver.
Issues detailed by Mr Badal lacking conviction or substance, or both, included:
1. Whilst filling all teaching vacancies is welcome and justified, the government has proposed nothing to boost teacher morale shattered by politically motivated transfers. The government needs to guarantee the posting for all teachers will newly defined local area education boards, representing 10 to 15 schools at most.
2. The proposal to create development authorities for the 5 corporation areas and surrounding semi-urban areas, without clarifying the differential responsibilities of the various tiers of government including the corporations, improvement trusts, PUDA and the proposed development authorities, is a guaranteed recipe for confusion and disaster.
3. Adarsh schools are proposed as day schools, yet Mr Badal compares them with the Sanawar and Bishop Cotton, both boarding schools.
4. Various projects “announced” by Mr Badal, including urban sanitation, freight corridors, universal limited health insurance, and NH1 six laning, are all centrally funded projects, highlighting Punjab’s poor financial state and Punjab’s inability to fund development works independent of the centre.
5. Talk of attracting private capital is worthy, but sorely lacking is the urgent need to create an investor friendly environment, where security of investment is of paramount importance and returns a secondary consideration.
6. Referencing the new international airport as the “Mohali” airport is contradictory to the MOU signed with Haryana and the Centre, which clearly labels it as Chandigarh airport.
Much was expected on the inaugural Republic Day CM address of this government, but one is left with the unfortunate feeling that this government is high on slogans and short on substance.
This government’s interim report card could easily read “More realism required, must work harder to understand the issues, restrict proposals to those that are properly researched and are likely to be implemented.”
Jassi Khangura MLA
Halqa Qila Raipur
26.01.08