BJP MLA flags lack of reliable data for ‘Vision 2047’ planning

Raipur: In a wide-ranging and candid intervention during the Chhattisgarh Assembly's discussion on Vision 2047 on Sunday, senior BJP legislator Ajay Chandrakar questioned official claims, flagged systemic shortcomings across sectors, and urged the government to shift from rhetoric to realistic, data-driven planning.Referring to the Finance Minister's speech, Chandrakar said the oft-repeated assertion that 44% of the state is under forest cover is misleading. He pointed out that land leased for mining and other non-forest uses continues to be recorded as forest land on paper, distorting the actual picture. Without honest data, he warned, both welfare planning and environmental protection would remain flawed. He urged the government to abandon "official jargon" and adopt a transparent assessment of ground realities.Raising serious concerns over pollution, the MLA asked whether the water drawn from the Kharun river to supply Raipur is fit for drinking and sought a review of the deteriorating condition of the Arpa river. Citing a civil society campaign in Rajasthan that framed clean air as a fundamental right, he noted that Parliament was preparing for a debate on pollution after accepting a proposal by Rahul Gandhi, and asked how seriously Chhattisgarh was addressing air and water quality.Shifting focus to governance bottlenecks, Chandrakar highlighted the massive backlog of revenue cases. He said around 53,000 cases are pending before the Revenue Board, with an estimated 3,500 stuck for 20–25 years. Proposing an unconventional solution, he suggested declaring a special fortnight exclusively for clearing revenue cases, during which ministers and MLAs could "travel abroad if they wish" while the chief ,inister stays back to monitor a state-wide drive. He also alleged that key urban schemes are under-funded and behind schedule, while projects like 24×7 water supply and AMRUT have "effectively failed". Seeking a detailed review of Raipur's Smart City project, he described it as a "corruption model" and cited the unresolved tussle between the tourism corporation and municipal corporation over Budha Talab as emblematic of administrative paralysis.Responding to frequent references to the "Gujarat model", Chandrakar acknowledged successes like the Sabarmati riverfront and the Statue of Unity, noting that much of the investment has been recovered through tourism. He contrasted this with Chhattisgarh's proposed Lord Ram statue project, alleging that an announced change in design has neither been implemented nor reflected in tourism documents for the past two years.On public transport, he remarked that travelling by road from Raipur airport to the railway station can cost as much as flying to Nagpur, underscoring the absence of affordable mass transit. He recalled that a city bus plan had Cabinet approval but alleged that under the previous Congress government it was turned into an over-ambitious integrated model combining buses, hospitals and generic medicine shops—resulting, he claimed, in failure on all counts and leaving the scheme in limbo.The MLA also flagged public health concerns, saying Chhattisgarh continues to record high incidence of tuberculosis and filariasis. Despite claims of economic growth, he asked why a dedicated, mission-mode programme with assured funding has not been launched to eliminate these diseases. On education, Chandrakar noted that despite a proliferation of universities and colleges, the gross enrolment ratio remains below the national average.

Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here