Presenting the road map of the new Bharatiya Janata Party government in Chhattisgarh, Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on Wednesday said it would continue to give priority to the marginalised groups.
“The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, women, youth, farmers, forest-dependents, rural communities and individuals engaged in traditional occupations require extra-sensitive approach and these groups will continue to be a priority for my government,” the Governor said in his address to the Assembly.
The first session of the new Assembly began on Tuesday.
Mr. Harichandan said that the government was committed to taking appropriate steps to fulfil various promises made during the election and termed the Vishnu Deo Sai Cabinet pledging the construction of 18 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana one of those promises. It signified “a strong start to the work of my government”, he said.
He also said that the government’s road map included assessment and decisions on issues like the payment of paddy procurement bonuses pending for two years, farmer welfare schemes such as the Krishi Unnati Yojana, the Deendayal Upadhyay Krishi Majdur Kalyan Yojana, the Mahtari Vandan Yojana, the Ghar-Ghar Nirmal Jal Abhiyan and the Rani Durgavati Yojana, he said.
Mr. Harichandan said that the government was committed to the investigation of the alleged PSC scam case, while adding that one lakh vacant government posts would be filled in a “transparent and time-bound recruitment process”. The BJP had promised to conduct a investigation in the alleged scam during the election campaign.
While members from the ruling party chanted slogans of Jai Shri Ram in the House, MLAs from the Opposition Congress insisted that farm suicides be discussed, leading to an argument with the Treasury benches.
Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also objected to the Governor delivering the address in English.
