CM presides over meet the press organized by Nagpur Union of Working Journalist and Tilak Patrakar Bhavan Trust.
File Photo
Nagpur Today: The Media is undergoing a sea of change with various electronic messaging and social networks, a change that cannot be fathomed. The change is palpable at least with the youth said Chief Minister Prithviraj Chauhan.
Earlier Chief Minister Pritviraj Chauhan, EGS Minister Nitin Raut and Minister of State for Finance Rajendra Mulak were welcomed by the office-bearers of Nagpur Union of Working Journalist (NUWJ) and Tilak Patrakar Bhavan Trust Pradeep Moitra, Bhrama Shankar Tripathi, Shirish Borkar and Anupam Soni.
After welcoming the Chief Guest and the Guests of Honour, President of NUWJ Pradeep Moitra elaborated about the functioning of NUWJ, the activities, training, workshops and training conducted by NUWJ for journalists from time to time.
The Chief Minister said that tomorrow is the last day of the Winter Session. In his opening remarks, he said that this is the last Winter Session of his 5-year tenure. By the next Winter Session, the elections would have already taken place and a new government would come. He added that as soon as the Ministers return to Mumbai, the drums and frenzy of elections would start. In the background of elections, there are many positive changes that have taken place. In Delhi the Lokpal Bill has been cleared. In the State, the long pending Anti-Superstition Bill has been passed. Many aggressive and strong laws were passed in the Assembly. Some of the laws and rules were passed for the development of the State while others in an attempt to develop the State in the right direction.
The people of the state have seen the rule of BJP-ShivSena Alliance. They have also seen the functioning and the development activities done by Congress with the help of the Central Government.
He said that today, while making the Last Week Proposal, he had given figures and data from 2009 to 2013. He dwelt on the debt of Rs 82 crores. The production is 13 per cent. Had it been more than 20 per cent, the Central Government would have labeled us as Debt stressed State. He added that without debts development activities also cannot be undertaken in the State. We cannot run the state or our industries. He claimed that our status is much better than many other states.
He also claimed that he has full faith in the people that they wil surely vote for the right person from the local party, from the state party and from the national party. I am confident that we will certainly win.
While explaining that the opposition has created a wave of Narendra Modi as Presidential Candidate using all the advanced means of communications like mobile, e-mail, social networking sites etc. He added that since the media is undergoing a sea of change, we would be utilizing the same means of communications too. Reaching out to the masses has become a challenge. However the means of communication and reaching out to the people in rural areas would remain the old traditional methods.
He said that, yes there is anger in the minds of people over the rampant corruption that is going on I the state and in the country. The people are more angry because of the corruption that the leaders whom they have elected have indulged in corruption. The people have developed a cynicism about politicians. But the fact remains that somebody has to rule. The somebody who is elected in a democratic manner.
We have and will make the state and the country which as such is much better than many other states and Countries. We have as a party dealt with successfully with many issues, like even when we are not endowed with natural resources, with rapid climatic changes, huge urbanization, facing the challenges of urbanizations, poor industrial development, industrial development in Vidarbha, Amravati and Chandrapur, industrial revolution, public amenities etc. We want to kick-start with MIHAN, making Vidarbha a Tourism Capital, New CSIR Institute in Nagpur, Making Nagpur to emerge as the Education Hub of the country, NF & NDMA Colleges, Industrial Centres and Mining programmes, etc.
I am hopeful of development of the State including that of Vidarbha. I am waiting for the Kelkar Committee Report. As CM of Maharashtra I will ensure the development of 11 districts of Vidarbha gets equal treatment. I see the vibrancy of the youth in Nagpur has improved a lot.
Answering to a question on LBT, he said that since there is no financially viable alternative to LBT, it will not be removed. However he said that GST is a good alternative but all BJP states are against it. Answering to another question he said that there are sustained and focused paid on major projects like Ghosikurd and many irrigation projects. He added we should not get disheartened or discouraged. Things do happen, some take a longer time for execution. In last one month, he claimed that he has signed 20 MoUs for major projects and 8 have already started. He also claimed that he is determined to ensure development of the state. He talked about Advantage Vidarbha and said that a Rs 1200 crore Textile project is coming in Vidarbha. He added that 406 projects have been cleared. He declared that 3 new IT Parks are coming up in Nagpur. He talked of the Council of Scientific Research Institute which will be set-up in NEERI.
