Vasundhara Raje finds a 'stone edge' at Jhunjhunu rally

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje appeared to be in poll mode as she shot off a volley of announcements at the state level programme held at Jhunjhunu on the 4th anniversary of her government. As her government entered the final year of its tenure, Raje went all out to woo farmers, soldiers and youth and showered sops all around.

She inaugurated projects and laid foundation stones for development works worth Rs 2227 crores for Jhunjhunu alone. Which reflected on her priority regarding this district of the Shekhawati area that has only two BJP MLAs out of seven.

Raje flayed the opposition for pushing Rajasthan backward when it was in government for almost 50 years.

The chief minister’s speech exhaustively focused on farmers, who are a sizeable population in this district.

“From January 1, 2018 farmers in Rajasthan will get loan at only 5.5 per cent from cooperative banks, instead of the current 6.7 percent. Also, I announce raising accident insurance of farmers from to Rs10 lakh from the present Rs6 lakh now,” announced Raje. She claimed that her government has given Rs58210 crores worth of loans without interest to farmers for crops. Which she said is a record.

Incidentally the farmers’ agitation that compelled the Rajasthan government to form a body to look into their demand of loan waiver is Sikar, adjacent to Jhunjhunu.

program held on Wednesday. Alluring youths, Raje has increased age criteria to 40 years from 35 for the applicants applying for government direct recruitment through competition. She has promised to recruit 1.4 lakh youths in rest one of her tenure, claiming that her government gave 1.7 lakh government jobs so far.

The ceremony also marked with major announcements related to healthcare for public at large, particularly patients coming for treatment to hospitals and centers. She has announced that angiography of hearts patients would be free at government hospitals and also no fee will be charged for treatment of road accidents victims for the first 48 hours of their arrival at government and private hospitals.

Apart from making announcements, Raje also launched an aggressive attack on Congress of neglecting development and pushing the state backward. “What we have done in 5 years the Congress failed to do in 50 years of rule since the Independence. The previous government failed on the development agenda as it lacked will power. And, it is the habit of the Congress that it neither works nor allows others to do so,” Raje said.

Referring to the Kumbahram Canal project, CM alleged that Congress used it to play politics “We have brought water through the canal in 4 years which Congress failed to do. We have spent Rs172 crores to supply water through it to Malsisar from Taranagar. Also our government is developing 25 km roads per day,” said Raje.

The CM claimed that her government never discriminated when it comes to development. “The BJP represents only two out of the seven seats of Jhunjhunu yet we have allocated Rs5400 crores equally among all constituencies over the past 4 years. In contrast the previous Congress government gave only Rs2500 crores to the district in five years.”

On this occasion Raje inaugurated and laid foundation stone of projects worth Rs2237 crore in Jhunjhunu district alone. She also announced that a sports university would be set up in Jhunjunu on the line of Patiala and also Rs184 would be spent to develop a Military school.

The chief minister announced 6 new roads including 17 kilometer long Mawanda-Nizampur road via Mehada, widening-strengthening upto 7 Km of Jhunjunu -Mandrela road at Rs150 crores. Apart from this, 94.7 kilometers long four lane road will be developed from Sikar-Jhunjhunu,Chidawa to Haryana border which estimates Rs401.47 crores. In the presence of Raje, more than 40 leaders, including Congress netas and Pradhan Gajadhar Dhaka joined BJP in Jhunjhunu on Wednesday.

Major announcements

1. For the direct recruitment of general category to various services in the state, the maximum age limit will be 40 years from 35.

2. 1.40 lakh government jobs will be provided to youths.

3. First 48-hour free medical treatment for injured persons in private and government hospitals in road accidents.

4. Angiography will be done free in government hospitals.

5. From January 1, 2018, loans from farmers from the cooperative land development banks will be available only 5.5 percent interest rate.

6. In the Accident Insurance Scheme, the insurance benefit from 6 lakh will be increased to Rs 10 lakh for farmers from April 1, 2018.

7. About Rs1300 crores will be spent on drinking water projects in Udaipurwati (rural and urban) and Buhana, Chidawa and Surajgarh areas of Jhunjhunu.

8. 200 Prime Minister's Pharmaceutical Centers will be opened for generic medicines through cooperatives.

9. 1000 new sub-medical centers and 100 veterinary hospitals will be opened in the state. 47 centers will be opened in Jhunjhunu district. 

10. Medical Equipment with a budget of Rs25 crores will be purchased for SMS Medical college and its hospitals.

11. Schools and Gaurav Paths will be named after martyrs.

12. Government job will be given to one person in the family of martyrs who sacrificed their life after Independence.  

Highlight

She inaugurated projects and laid foundation stones for development works worth Rs2227 crores for Jhunjhunu alone. Which reflected on her priority regarding this district of the Shekhawati area that has only two BJP MLAs out of seven