Rajasthan minister points to bad roads in CM’s presence, says people abuse us daily

Rajasthan Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Vishvendra Singh said this in the presence of PWD Minister Bhajanlal Jatav and CM Ashok Gehlot during an event as part of Rajiv Gandhi Olympic games in Bhatarput district’s Kumher on Thursday.

“I am wearing this (patta) neck plaster. Honourable Bhajan Lal ji, this is by your courtesy. Start work on these roads. What will the Chiranjeevi Yojana do, when the roads are in such bad state. If a woman is to deliver a child, she will end up delivering on the road. What will the (Chiranjeevi) scheme do then? Please construct roads. We have to face abuses (of the public) everyday,” said Singh, pointing to his neck plaster.

Singh also targeted his cabinet colleague Jatav over slow work in the Kumher bypass.

Singh, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Bharatpur was one of the 18 MLAs who sided with former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot during the 2020 political crisis in Rajasthan. However, in recent times he has got closer to the Gehlot faction.

“CM sahab, I am your biggest Pilot, as the civil aviation department is with me,” said a smiling Singh to Gehlot at the event.

In his first budget after coming to power, Gehlot had said in his 2019-20 budget speech that in the next five years, ‘Vikas Path’ will be created in every gram panchayat.

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However, in March this year, in response to a question in state Assembly by deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore, the government said Vikas Path has been sanctioned in just 182 gram panchayats, and work has been completed in 172 panchayats.

In its answer, the government also said that while it was announced in 2021-22 that a new road policy will be made, its approval is under process.