UPA hopes to reap dividends of people-friendly schemes: Rajiv Shukla

NAGPUR: The Centre has brought many schemes which have benefited a majority of the people in the country and the UPA government hopes to get dividends of it in the forthcoming general elections, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said today.

Listing the schemes, Shukla told reporters here that the Food Security Bill, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNERGA), Jawaharlal Nehru National Urbal Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Lokpal Bill, Whistleblower Protection Bill, Land Acquisition Bill are some of the major decisions taken largely to benefit majority of the population in the country.

"The UPA government hopes to get dividend of these schemes in the general elections," he said.

Admitting that some of the Bills the UPA government wanted to table could not be taken up due to continuous disruptions in Parliament, he said, "We went to Opposition with folded hands, but they did not cooperate. We are left with no options but to take the route of Ordinance."

The ordinances on anti-corruption and some populist measures, including those being pushed by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi were deferred by the Union Cabinet on Friday last.

Ridiculing the NDA's propaganda of 'India Shining' previously, Shukla said it cost the BJP-led alliance dearly because "without doing anything, they coined the slogan, whereas Congress and UPA have done so much in last 10 years".

On former Army chief General V K Singh joining the BJP, Shukla said some quarters are demanding a cooling off period for bureaucrats. Presently, it is for not joining the private sector only.

However, the government has no view on it, he said. On the demand being raised by some quarters for carving out separate Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra, the Congress leader said there is no such consideration before the party as of now.

To a question on the recent decision on a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, he said the government has ensured adequate financial package for Seemandhra and there is no question of worry.