A Chief minister who is being lauded for his governance, development work and food security as his state is heading towards assembly elections doesn't have a lot to worry about.
The most preferred choice for CM yet again Raman Singh seems to be reaping the benefits of the work he has done for his people in the last ten years. According to the pre-poll survey conducted by Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) for CNN-IBN and The Week, pro-incumbency in Chhattisgarh is almost as high as 2008. Then, 51 per cent of the voters wanted to give the state government another chance, and now it is 47 per cent.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Raman Singh spoke about the much-appreciated Food Bill. "We had asked the Congress-led Central government to provide Rs 2,000 samarthan mulya, but when Delhi did not listen, we provided Rs 270 from the state budget," he said.
But he denied to The Indian Express that 'free rice scheme' that helped him win polls in 2008 will be used again this time by his party candidates to woo the voters.
"We have already moved from food security to nutrition security. Now we provide salt and grams. We cover 42 lakh households from the 32 lakh that we did earlier. Still, the rice scheme will greatly benefit us during polls. People trust that we can implement this scheme with total transparency. They are satisfied with us," he told The Indian Express.
Talking on his strategy to tackle Naxal infested belts, "In the past three years, there is a decline of 40 per cent in police and civilian casualties. Encounters have increased. The number of blasts and resultant deaths of paramilitary forces has gone down. It can't be tackled in a day, it will take time," he told The India Express.
The CM said the need for security of the masses at the time of elections is paramount. "These are elections. I need to ensure protection of every person. 400 personnel are required at every polling booth. You need forces for road opening and transporting people. Bastar is bigger than Kerala. More force is always needed in such situations. Last time, booths were looted. We need to prevent this."
On being asked by The Indian Express as to how he felt about the fraudulent ways in which lands are taken away from farmers by middlemen and then industries are illegally constructed, at times with the help of the govt, "Let there be no industry in the entire country and then no one will lose land. Let the country decide there will be no steel plant, no power plant, no cement plant. Badhiya ho jayega (It will be great then),' he said.
Hitting out at Ajit Jogi and how he is going to help him win elections, Raman Singh told The Indian Express that it will be easy for people to compare Jogi's rule from 2000-03 with theirs in the last ten years from 2003-13. "Now it's very obvious to people. People will remember those three years and compare our ten years of dedicated work," he said.
To read the full interview with The Indian Express visit http://www.indianexpress.com/news/our-land-policy-is-better-than-that-of-the-govt-of-india-says-raman-singh/1189719/0
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