Questions raised on the role of Central Government
Raipur/ Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Ruchir Garg by writing a letter to former CM Dr. Raman Singh, asked some questions. He has written in his letter …
Respected Dr. Raman Singh,
Best regards,
First of all I wish you and your family good health.
After the address of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the country, a letter was read to your Honorable Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Mr. Bhupesh Baghelji.
Your letter has come in this way as if the Government of Chhattisgarh has not done anything yet to tackle Corona, now you have made some suggestions and the government should start working now!
It is a matter of regret that the style of your letter also gives the impression of a feudal kind. Dr. Raman Singh, this idea of a letter written to the Chief Minister coming from a common farmer family of Chhattisgarh will knock the common Chhattisgarh!
This letter came during a crisis. You are seeing yourself that the state governments across the country are taking strong stand against Corona with their own resources. Chhattisgarh is also one of them.
There was a comfortable expectation from the Central Government for help during this crisis, but they are not getting it. Prime Minister’s address on Tuesday also disappointed.
This time too, he put all the responsibility on the countrymen and disappointed the countrymen hoping for a big announcement, any economic package for the states, poor citizens who are most distressed or any declaration of relief for the unemployed. On this occasion, he could tell the people how preparations have been made by the government to fight the corona in the country, but they did not say anything.
What did the central government do when the Chhattisgarh government and other state governments were combating Corona with their limited resources? Donations to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or the State Relief Fund for Corona Virus are not considered to be included in Corporate Social Responsibility citing the current regulations. Is it just because people keep donating in ‘PM Cares’ and state governments yearn for donors?
In this time of crisis, big industrialists, business houses can help the state governments a lot. But it seems that everyone has ‘instructions’ to donate only to PM Cares.
Moreover, even the MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party elected on behalf of the people of the state avoided giving their MPLAD money to the state government’s aid fund.
You are the National Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. As a citizen, you are requested to persuade the Central Government that donations made to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or State Relief Fund should be included in Corporate Social Responsibility. With this, big industrialists or business houses will also extend a helping hand towards the states.
Today GST compensation, regular allocation of the Center, help should not have come in the form of seeking help like the Centre’s share in the schemes, above all it is an injustice if the donors stay away from the states. Only then will the country survive.
In your letter, you have advised the state government to take many steps.
Chhattisgarh had already started taking precaution before the lock down announced by the Center and started taking measures for concrete management of this disaster with its own resources. The Chief Minister, Mr. Bhupesh Baghel, along with his committed team of ministerial colleagues and officers, supervises the Corona management on its own and the results are also visible.
You have led the state for 15 years. You know the resources of the state properly. You are expected to ask the Central Government to provide some assistance for the betterment of the people of Chhattisgarh in this hour of crisis.