BJP govts in MP have weakened urban systems, haven't implemented master plan for cities: Cong leader

Bhopal, Dec 18 (PTI) Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Jaivardhan Singh on Thursday accused the Mohan Yadav government of weakening urban systems in the state.

Despite being in power for more than 20 years, BJP-led governments have failed to implement a master plan for cities, he said while addressing reporters at the state Congress headquarters.

Singh described the two-year tenure of the BJP government under Chief Minister Yadav as a symbol of failure in urban development as well as corruption and unemployment.

The Madhya Pradesh government is "trumpeting" the successes of its two-year tenure, while in reality, these are "hollow" and a betrayal of the public's future, Singh said.

"The two years of the BJP are not years of achievements, but years of weakening urban institutions, stalling projects, snatching away jobs, and harassing the public. Development in municipal bodies has stalled over the past two years. Even a master plan hasn't been implemented for the state's important cities like Bhopal and Indore," Singh claimed.

"The Congress presented a master plan in 1995. The next plan should have been released in 2005, but the BJP government, which has been in power for more than 22 years, has failed to do so. Cities like Bhopal and Indore are being subjected to chaos instead of development," he said.

Singh cited the controversial 90-degree flyover in Bhopal, the collapse of a bridge in Raisen district during construction, and the low height of Bhopal and Indore metro pillars, calling them examples of the waste of crores of rupees and "deadly corruption." "A commission game is going on, where deficiencies are deliberately left in designs so that budgets can be increased later in the name of improvements. There is lack of inspections, and big contractors are being protected," the Congress leader alleged.

The former minister also mentioned the recently cancelled Ujjain Land Pooling Scheme, claiming CM Yadav introduced the scheme to serve his "personal interests" but was forced to cancel it under pressure from the Congress and farmers. PTI BNS MAS BNM