MP partially used Central funds: Vajpayee

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">JABALPUR: Describing Madhya Pradesh as a ‘‘<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bimaru</span>’’ (sick) state, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said here on Wednesday, ‘‘It has not fully utilised Central funds for its development.’’<br /><br />The Centre, he said, in the past five years provided Rs 4,000 crore to it for rural development but only a portion of it was utilised, he added.<br /><br />Launching his election cam paigning in Madhya Pradesh by address ing a public meeting at the Garrison Ground here on Wednesday he underlined the importance of water conservation and development of villages saying, ‘‘The heart of India lies invillages.<br /> <br />“If villages are not developed, India can not be a developed country.’’In his half-an-hour address he highlighted the achievements of the Union government.<br /><br />He said the country has achieved self-sufficiency in food, improved medical facilities and provided employment to over 1 crore people.<br /><br />He also counted construction of a four-lane road from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and the ambitious project of liking all the major rivers in the country. <br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Referring to foreign investment in the country, he said, it is now coming on the expected lines mostly due to bad law and order conditions in most states.<br /><br />He refuted allegations that the Congress-ruled states including Madhya Pradesh had not been given adequate Central aid. <br /><br />He said in Madhya Pradesh the Centre had given Rs 916 crore under the Prime Minister’s village road scheme, of which only 42 per cent was spent.<br /><br />He expressed concern over rising atrocities on women in Madhya Pradesh and child mortality rate.<br /><br />He appealed to the people to vote for BJP to have the first ‘‘Mahila chief minister’’ in the state. BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Uma Bharti also addressed the meeting.<br /><br />He was also accompanied by Union ministers of state, Prahlad Singh Patel and Fuggan Singh Kulesthe.</div> </div>