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Sunday, Mar 06, 2005

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M.P. to develop modern cities, `gokul grams'

By Lalit Shastri

BHOPAL, MARCH 5. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Babulal Gaur, is determined to put the State on the fast track of development, but in pursuing this goal he is not prepared to compromise when it comes to safeguarding the interests and welfare of the deprived sections. Mr. Gaur made this assertion in an exclusive interview last night. Talking to The Hindu , he said that while concentrating on efforts to make the big cities modern and more beautiful, the State Government is also focusing on realising the concept of "Gokul Grams" in the countryside.

Explaining the "all-embracing" concept of Gokul Grams, the Chief Minister said that it is aimed at the integrated development of villages. Initially five Gokul Grams would be selected in each Assembly segment. Starting with 1150 Gokul Grams, the State would have over 4000 such grams in a year's time, he said adding that special efforts would be made to promote dairy and animal husbandry in the rural areas.

Under this scheme, Mr. Gaur said, basic facilities would be provided to the villages and awareness would be generated among the people about the benefits of sanitation, clean drinking water and a healthy environment. People would be encouraged to go for "gobar gas" and biomass as alternatives to firewood. They would also be motivated to cultivate bio-diesel producing "ratanjot", he said emphasising the need to reduce the growing demand for firewood, which is threatening the green cover. Mr. Gaur went on to point out that 20 to 25 acres of land would be reserved in every district for providing scientific health care to bovine animals. Under the Gokul Gram scheme, special efforts would also be made to encourage women's self-help groups.

Mr. Gaur said that the State would also be witnessing a white revolution under the Godan Yojna being implemented simultaneously by his Government. The plan is to identify 10 poorest landless families or those families possessing less than an acre of land in each Goukl Gram. These families would be provided with three cows each to start their own small dairy business. The Government would be giving a grant of Rs. 10,000 to poor families from the general category and Rs. 15,000 to the SC/ST and OBC families to purchase cows, he said.

In Madhya Pradesh cities, Mr. Gaur said, life has become too chaotic over the years due to reckless development and encroachments. Talking of his vision, the Chief Minister said that he would like to preside over an administration that can ensure clean and beautiful cities. The idea is not restricted to developing only Bhopal -- the State Capital -- as a show window, Mr. Gaur said and went on to emphasise that a high-powered committee, headed by the State Minister for Urban Administration, Jayant Malaiya, has specially been set up for the planned and smooth development of all the big cities in the State.

Taking the nickname "Bulldozer" Chief Minister in his stride, Mr. Gaur said that it would be wrong to dub him as anti-slum dwellers. Many housing structures that were built on illegally occupied land by influential colonisers have been razed to the ground in the recent past, he said adding that the Ayodhya Basti scheme launched earlier by his Government aims at providing basic amenities and improving the quality of life of the slum dwellers.

Mr. Gaur said that his Government has launched a special campaign in the urban areas to provide quality civic amenities to the urban poor. Mr. Gaur went on to inform that the Asian Development Bank has given an assistance of Rs. 1500 crore for upgrading environment and providing adequate drinking water facility in major cities like Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur.

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