Give CM Time To Deliver
GURUDAS Singbal
On 8 March, Manohar Parrikar’s BJP government completes a year in office. Of course, one year is too short a period to evaluate the performance of any government and pronounce judgements. Any new government has to use its first few months to decide its development priorities and make the administration better functional to deliver results. Going by what one reads in newspapers, the Chief Minister is going ahead with plans to accomplish both these tasks.
Goa celebrated the golden jubilee of its liberation recently. There is no doubt that in 50 years, the state has made remarkable progress in every sphere of activity. It is nationally acknowledged that Goa has outdone many other states in growth denominators. The task before the new government now and in future is to take the state on a higher growth path. Parrikar is no newcomer to the CM’s job. In his two earlier stints as Chief Minister, he has given a creditable account of his administrative competence and political skills and once he even vowed that if the BJP returned to power again, he would “do better”. That occasion offers itself now.
What will be his approach to Goa’s future growth and what sort of development priorities does he have in mind to take Goa on a higher growth trajectory? So far, he has not spoken his mind publicly on these issues. Later this month, on 18 March, the CM is to present the first budget of his government in the Assembly. Hopefully, we will have a clear insight into his mind when the budget document is available. The Parrikar government came to power on a ‘Goans deserve better’ poll agenda. The previous Congress government hit by scandals had left the state’s finances in a bad shape. On balance, the CM has made a good beginning in the implementation of his poll promises.
One of the first acts of Parrikar shortly after taking over the reins of the state was that of lowering the prices of petrol by Rs 11 per litre. The step earned him much goodwill. However, this joy was short-lived as relief offered by the CM was brought to naught with the central government bent on increasing the prices of petroleum products with a vengeance using some pretext or the other. Both ‘Laadli Laxmi’ and ‘Griha Adhar’ schemes were made operational. Under the Laadli Laxmi scheme, every girl child in Goa, on attaining the age of 18 on the appointed date, will be entitled to receive Rs one lakh as a gift from the state at the time of marriage. The Griha Adhar Yojana promises a monthly kitchen allowance of Rs 1000/- to every housewife as relief from rising prices. The two schemes, if implemented smoothly, are sure to bring rich political rewards to Parrikar and his BJP.
Much of the public discontent and unpopularity that has come in the way of the governments at the centre and the state is because they go on mercilessly taxing the people while giving them nothing in return. Parrikar’s intention of ‘zero’ tolerance to corruption cannot be faulted. But in a system long used to lawless ways, its success is doubtful. Instead, a modest and more realistic programme focused on simplifying the administration procedures and making the system more accountable by strengthening internal monitoring could bring better results. The Chief Minister’s Lok Ayukta Bill has run into controversy. And yes, some shortcomings are there in the Act. But it would be better if the Lok Ayukta is judged by its performance and not before it starts functioning.
The IIT engineer from Powai has all the qualities and abilities of a good leader. The CM’s most formidable asset which endears him to people from all sections of society are his secular credentials. The ‘hindutva’ flavor that marks BJP rule in other states is wholly absent here. In the footsteps of Atal Behari Vajpayee, Parrikar can be regarded as another soft face in the higher level leadership of the BJP. In Goa, he can and now must use the stability of the clear mandate he has received from the people to rule in peace and provide good governance. He has the ability and can be trusted to deliver what he has promised. We must give him time to perform.
