http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ill-be-no-harassment/articleshow/58058557.cms
UP CM Aditya Nath Yogi says he won't tolerate corruption, lawlessness, casteism & the politics of appeasement. He tells Diwakar why he won't transfer officials en masse, how he will help farmers and why he wants children to learn English from nursery. And, while his govt is yet to decide on prohibition, liquor won't be sold near residential areas, shrines, educational institutions & hospitals. Excerpts:
Q: You've started at a scorching pace. Will you be able to sustain this?
A: We'll continue at the same pace. People have given us a huge mandate. We must fulfil that by bringing in a new work culture and getting rid of the politics of casteism and appeasement, which defined UP for 15 years.
Q: It's a fortnight since you assumed office. Your initial impressions...
A: In 15 years, governance has collapsed, there's no work culture. The first priority is to put a system in place.
Q: Your intention is good, but you'll face problems, including from within...
A: People have given their mandate. The party has given me the responsibility. Keeping in mind the special condition of UP and expectations of people, we must deliver on promises.
Q: What are your government's key priorities?
A: Implementation of every promise we made. In my very first Cabinet meeting, I told my colleagues we must take on corruption, lawlessness, casteism and the politics of appeasement. We must raise resources by curbing wasteful expenditure. That's why I resolved that the hooter culture, where VIPs are provided red-beacon cars at taxpayers' expense, must end. The previous government allotted such cars to 270 people. It also planned to instal a giant wheel in Lucknow for Rs 450 crore. Officials said this was supposed to help a few get an aerial view of the city. This wasn't needed. People's money can be better utilised for welfare.
Q: But the crop loan waiver will burden UP's already stressed finances...
A: We must ensure farmers' welfare and yet control fiscal deficit. The Centre won't fund the waivers. Expenditure on this comes to Rs 36,000 crore. Along with the Rs 4,000 crore of NPAs, it adds up to Rs 40,000 crore. We plan to generate this sum by cutting wasteful expenditure of Rs 8,000 crore-10,000 crore and raising more resources. We'll return the money to banks in four to five instalments. But this isn't the only step for farmers. We want to implement a PDS on the lines of Chhattisgarh. It's a small state, yet it procures 69 lakh tonnes of paddy each year. We managed only 5 lakh-8 lakh tonnes of wheat last year. I've opened 5,000 centres to procure wheat directly from farmers. This'll help us pass on the money , which went to middlemen, to farmers. Wheat procurement price has been fixed at Rs 1,625 a quintal and another Rs 10 is paid for loading and unloading. Last year, farmers had to sell paddy for Rs 900-1,000 per quintal.
Q: Bureaucrats will be crucial for implementation of your ambitious agenda. Contrary to practice, you continue with bureaucrats who occupied key posts in the last government...
A: Bureaucracy adapts itself to the political leadership's priorities. The last government's expectations were different. I don't have a personal agenda. My priority is expeditious implementation of my party's manifesto, the Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra. People must work 18 to 20 hours. Only then will they keep their jobs. I've to fulfil the expectations of the poor, the old, women, the girl child, youth and village people. Earlier 20-25 people worked for 4-5 hours. Now 4-5 people produce better results working 18-20 hours.
Q: So, no large-scale changes in the bureaucracy, for now...
A: There are people in the bureaucracy who are capable but couldn't give their best because they were denied the opportunity. They have capabilities that can be harnessed.
Q: But some are identified with previous regimes...
A: I'm not swayed by perceptions. But intent and track record will, of course, be examined. I don't consider transfer a solution. Nonperformers will be sent home. People will be held accountable.
Q: Did you have any inkling that you'd be told to take charge as CM?
A: I did not. After a hectic campaign, I'd decided on a week's rest. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called me to say I'd been included in an MPs' delegation leaving for the US and Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago). I welcomed the opportunity to interact with Indian-origin people settled there. On March 10, I was told the PM had struck me off the list. On March 17, Amit Shah phoned and asked me to come to Delhi. I told him the last train from Gorakhpur had left. He sent a chartered flight next morning. At his home I was told that I'd have to take charge as CM. Shah told me not to make it public. The BJP government in Uttarakhand was to be sworn in later that day. He didn't want the focus to be distracted from the Dehradun ceremony. I took the same chartered plane to Lucknow and attended the BJP legislature party meeting.
Q: Who mooted the idea of deputy CMs?
A: I did. While I've been a five-term MP, I don't have administrative experience. Other team members, too, lack it. I intend to travel across the state and felt we should have an arrangement where others can hold the fort in my absence.
Q: Education is in bad shape. How will you tackle the menace of mass copying?
A: I have asked officials for a roadmap on what they can do in 90 days, six months and a year. We've drawn up a plan to tackle copying. Here, 11 lakh children aren't enrolled in schools. They must be. Two uniform sets, of the kind private-school students wear, will be provided free to government-school students so they have the same confidence.They will get shoes, books and schoolbags. English will be introduced in government schools from nursery. Making them wait till Class VI to get familiarised with the English alphabet makes little sense.They will be taught Sanskrit from Class III and have the option of learning a foreign language from Class X. Our youngsters, who pursue higher studies in Germany or Japan, have to do three-month courses to learn languages of the host country . This won't be needed.
The UP education board should have a modern curriculum and text books on the lines of NCERT. Secretaries have been asked to examine if the 16 state universities can have a common curriculum, and how to end the copying menace. Skill development will be a focus area. We have 606 engineering colleges and only 50 of them have recognition.
We were to have one polytechnic for every 5 ITIs, one engineering college for every five polytechnics. But emphasis was on engineering colleges, which failed to get recognition, and now, enough students. They want to shut down. But the land they got at concessional rates to run educational institutions must be used for that purpose alone. They can be turned into polytechnics and skill development centres.
Student union elections across the state will be held in one week. Examinations should be over in 15 days and results out in the next 15. Schools and colleges are supposed to be open for 220 days, they barely function for 120 now. We declare holidays to mark great people's birthdays. I want schools to remain open on such special days and children to be taught about the contributions of revered figures.
Q: Your emphasis on English education will surprise critics. Your image is that of a traditionalist...
A: Traditional and modern should blend. We must protect and promote our values. Our education system must promote national ism, but should be modern and relevant to contemporary needs.
Q: Some people claim that the crackdown on slaughterhouses and the anti-Romeo squads are targeted at a particular community...
A: We aren't taking decisions based on what people look like. These are promises in our manifesto and will be implemented. I'll ensure there's no discrimination or harassment. We're implementing what was already the law. None who follows the law should worry. About harassment complaints, I've already asked people to ensure that consenting youth aren't troubled. It's no crime to sit in a park or move together. Policewomen in plain clothes will be deployed at girls' colleges and schools and will take action against those harassing students. Offenders will first be reported to their parents so they get an opportunity to mend their ways. But let's not take our eyes off the harassment girls of all communities have to endure. This is serious. It's because of this that girls of all communities are forced to discontinue studies. This can't go on.
Q: Do you plan to implement prohibition?
A: We've not taken any such decision. But a problem has been created by the previous government. Faced with the Supreme Court's order, which banned liquor vends within 500 metres of highways, they surreptitiously moved those outlets to residential areas. These started operating from April 1 and have created trouble for residents who are up in arms. I have asked the administration to ensure liquor isn't sold within 500 metres of places of worship, residential areas, educational institutions and hospitals. The previous government did something immoral. They knew their tenure was ending, but issued excise li cences for as far as 2018. These were captured by the syndicate controlling the liquor trade. I have asked for a review.
Q: Will you cancel the licences?
A: We can look at that option.
Q: As MP you changed names of localities. Humayunpur became Hanuman Puri, Urdu Bazaar became Hindi Bazaar?
A: I won't comment on that...
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