“Good governance, unity and progress are my priority”
-- B.C. Khanduri
INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK

I have already issued directions to all my officials to function honestly. I will keep on watching their activities. Any complaint of corruption received from public will be looked into seriously and a strict and prompt action will be taken.

The support of three Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and three Independent MLAs ensured majority to Shri Bhuwan Chand Khanduri to become Chief Minister of Uttarakhand on March 8. He proved majority in the House on March 14. Shri Khanduri was Union Minister of Surface Transport in the NDA government. He served the Indian Army for 36 years, from 1954 to 1990.

After joining the BJP in 1990 he was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha in 1991 from Garhwal and represented the constituency in the 10th, 12th and 13th Lok Sabha. Organiser representative Ravindra Saini spoke to him in Dehradun to know his vision and priorities as the fourth Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Excerpts:

Our priority is to establish good governance. We will provide efficient, honest and patriotic administration in the state. No effort would be spared in making Uttarakhand a developed and self-reliant state.

Your selection was not a smooth affair. How will you ensure party unity in future?

There was no conflict. In any party there is a method of identifying the right people. BJP also has its own procedure and system and in that system party sought the opinion of its eminent leaders in the selection of Chief Minister. The matter has now ended with the nomination of the CM. I don’t think there is any difficulty in working together. All senior or junior workers are working together. I shall have no problem with them. We all workers would do our utmost to fulfill the promises made by the party during the elections. I understand the responsibility bestowed upon me is not easy to carry out.

What are your priorities as the new Chief Minister?

The first priority is to put the administrative machinery on right path. During the previous régime, some of the administrative set-up and the administrative machinery made people angry. It was not responsible and accountable to the people and people thought that the government did not exist for them. My first task is to win the confidence of people that the government is meant for their welfare and it is accountable to them. The people have every right to know what the government is doing for them. After that the priority will be to tackle the major illness like corruption, misuse of funds, lack of employment, lack of developmental facilities, etc. There are a number of things, which have to be done simultaneously but the basic thing is that we have to make the government responsible. The topmost priority of my government would be to take measures to right the wrongs that have been committed by the earlier regime during the past five years. Our priority is to establish good governance. We will provide efficient, honest and patriotic administration in the state. No effort would be spared in making Uttarakhand a developed and self-reliant state.

During the elections the BJP had said to review some of the decisions taken by the previous Congress government. Will it happen now?

We will review every decision that people think is anti-people. But the good projects started by the previous government would continue. We will go by our objective of doing welfare of the people.

Will your government look into the matter of scams and scandals, which took place in the regime of the previous government?

We will have them examined whether there is any case where individuals have used the system for their personal benefit. The cases of bribery and misuse of funds will be looked into.

How will you control corruption?

I have already issued directions to all my officials to function honestly. I will keep on watching their activities. Any complaint of corruption received from public will be looked into seriously and a strict and prompt action will be taken.

The BJP has been expressing concern over the poor economic condition of the state. Will your government bring any white paper on it?

Yes, we intend to do that. We have certain information, which is at the moment not authentic. Some of it is from the government documents but we have to go into those things and then see what exactly is the state of finance in Uttarakhand. As we understand Uttarakhand is under a debt of over Rs 14,000 crore and after 2008-2009 we will have to give about Rs 1000 crore as interest payment. The commitments are very heavy. We will look into all these and if necessary we will bring a white paper on it.

Since the BJP does not have an absolute majority in the assembly, people have a question in minds over the continuation of the government. How will you ensure that the government completes its full tenure?

I think it is an unnecessary view merely to create an excitement. We have got the support of six people and I do not see any threat to the government. This government will last full five years without any problem.

Do you feel the BJP had committed some mistakes that it has not gained more than 36 seats in the assembly elections as you were claiming of gaining 40 to 45 seats?

Yes, I agree that we ought to have got not less than 40 seats. There have been some mistakes that people did not respond to our expectations. I also want to tell you that we have lost one seat only by 11 votes. Some of the seats were lost by few votes. We never thought of losing some seats but unfortunately we lost them. We will look into our shortcomings and try not to repeat them. We have learnt a lot from these elections. One seat has been challenged in the court.

How would you solve the issue of permanent capital?

We shall look into the Dixit Committee Report, when it is submitted. We will look into the three basic requirements. First, the technical aspect about the place, about the land and about the area, where it has to be established. Second is the administrative requirement, which includes convenience to all parts of Uttarakhand and also the cost it involves. The third thing is that we will take any decision after the consultation with the people.

How will you fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state?

I have a vision for Uttarakhand. I have been a participant in the Uttarakhand Andolan. From 1991 onwards, I have gone through the peak time of struggle. Therefore, I have my own vision of a prosperous and well-administered region run as per the tradition of this Devbhoomi and the aspirations of the people who struggled for it. The vision I want to translate into reality is not only a well-administrative, fully-developed state but also one of the best states in the country.

Will the present Education Policy continue?

We have to look into it. It is not possible for me to decide it immediately unless we go through exactly what is on the paper. But at the moment whatever is on the ground, the education scenario in the state is very bad and we have to improve it. Policy is one side but on the ground there are no teachers in the schools, the standard and quality of education is not satisfactory. Students get degrees but do not get employment and get frustrated.

What is your message for the people of Uttarakhand?

Public grievances are on the top of my priority and my party would provide a system under which the government would go to the people’s door so that they would not have to run to government offices for solution of their problems. The public has bestowed power on BJP not to serve vested interests but to serve the people. My government would carry out this responsibility sincerely and with commitment. I want cooperation and support of people in fighting corruption and other shortcomings. My government will rise to the expectations of the people and the hopes with which they had voted the BJP to power.