CM8217;s foreign tour was an abject failure 8212; Rane

MUMBAI, JULY 7: Leader of the opposition Narayan Rane yesterday blasted Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for his unfruitful foreign tour, ...

MUMBAI, JULY 7: Leader of the opposition Narayan Rane yesterday blasted Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for his unfruitful foreign tour, saying the Congress-led Democratic Front DF government had to draw an overdraft to bear the tour cost.

8220;My information is that since the Congress-led DF government came to power last year, it had drawn overdraft at least on six occasions. The last one was in June for Rs 600 crore. At a juncture when the entire treasury is empty, it was unfortunate that Deshmukh chose to undertake a 15-days8217; foreign tour,8221; Rane said.

Launching a frontal attack against the Chief Minister, Rane said as per official records, the government does not have adequate funds for payment of salaries, allowances to its own staff, allowance to the cabinet members, night allowance to 15,000 constables has not been paid.

Despite an unprecedented financial crisis, Deshmukh, accompanied not only by his cabinet-colleagues and Chief Secretary Arun Bongirwar, but even the families of top bureaucrats had gone on foreign tour along with the Chief Minister.

The former chief minister pointed out that the crisis-ridden DF government had stopped payment towards refund of sales tax and cheques, issued by the Public Works Department on June 30, had not been realised owing to inadequate funds in the government account.

Rane alleged that even the information given by the Chief Minister on a Memorandum of Understanding signed with a foreign firm was an eye-wash. 8220;I feel Deshmukh has misled the people of Maharashtra. The Chief Minister mentioned about a MoU being signed with the IMB Lotus Corporation. In fact, the Corporation has given the software as a gift. Under such circumstances, how can the Chief Minister claim it to be a MoU?8221; Rane said.

On Deshmukh8217;s statements regarding his explanations to the World Bank on the present status of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board MSEB, Rane said since the decision to trifurcate has already been taken, there was no substance in the argument advanced by the Chief Minister.

Story continues below this ad

Rane said instead of spending crores of rupees on foreign tour, the Chief Minister should have utilised modern information-technology to interact with the officials of the World Bank as well as foreign investors.

Rane said even the major policy decisions taken by the Deshmukh government have been stayed by the Bombay High Court. Whether abolition of the Zhunka Bhakar8217; Scheme, enhancement of quota for the Non-Resident Indians or appointment of teachers on contract, the court has sought additional information on these decisions.

Rane8217;s counterpart in the upper house, Nitin Gadkari said the one-point agenda of the Chief Minister was to surrender before the World Bank and NCP leader Sharad Pawar. 8220;That was his hidden agenda. Surrender before the World Bank and Sharad Pawar. My information is that Deshmukh had a secret meeting with Pawar to save his seat,8221; Gadkari alleged.

Gadkari also asked the Chief Minister to declare publicly the assurances he has given to the World Bank on the privatisation of the MSEB, while BJP spokesman Atul Bhatkalkar said when the government has no funds to start new divisions to accomodate surplus students of the first year B Com and was continuously taking overdrafts, there was no justification for the Chief Minister8217;s foreign tour.