BHARAT SURAKSHA YATRA
April 6 -- May 10, 2006

Press Statement issued by Shri L.K. Advani
Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha)
At a press conference in Bhopal on April 27, 2006

Madhya Pradesh government's performance is impressive, although a lot still needs to be done
My appeal to BJP cadres in MP: Quickly overcome recent instability in the party and govt, and concentrate on Good Governance and Development

The BJP is proud to have brought the issues of Good Governance and Development onto the centrestage of national agenda. Notwithstanding the outcome of the 2004 parliamentary elections, the performance of the Vajpayee government between 1998-2004 testifies to our commitment to Good Governance and Development. The same commitment can also be seen in states where the BJP is in power. I would like to make a special mention here of the track record of my party's government in Madhya Pradesh.

In November 2003, the BJP was voted to power by the people of Madhya Pradesh, who were disenchanted with the 10-year rule of the Congress party. The state's development had stagnated and the administration had become a victim of rampant corruption and insensitivity. It was obvious that the new government would need time to undo the damage done by the previous government.

I am by and large impressed by the performance of my party's government in the state, although a lot more still needs to be done.

The state's young and dynamic Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh is monitoring the implementation of every single promise made in the party's election manifesto. I am told that, so far, 117 out of the 371 promises have been fulfilled.

Bijlee, Sadak and Paani were the principal issues in the 2003 assembly elections. In keeping with the BJP commitment to these, the installed capacity of power generation in the state has increased from 4760 MW in 2003-2004 to 6305 MW in 2005-06. The transmission capacity has been raised from 4417 MW in 2002-2003 to 5780 MW in 2005-06 (30% increase).
3700 km of rural roads have been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (an ambitious scheme launched by the Vajpayee government) and nearly 10,000 km of other roads have been built under various other schemes.
In the past two years, 2.65 lakh additional hectares of land have been provided with irrigation facility. Two major irrigation projects – Band Sagar Yojana and the Narmada Valley Development Project – are being implemented at record speed.
In 2006-07, the state had a surplus budget for the first time in 13 years. Also for the first time in 16 years, no overdraft was taken in 2006-07.

The attached list mentions other important achievements of the state government. I congratulate Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh and his colleagues for these achievements. However, I also urge them, and also all the karyakartas in the Party organization, to quickly overcome recent instability in the party and the government, and further intensity their attention to Good Governance and Development. I am confident that they would succeed in fulfilling the expectations of the people of Madhya Pradesh.

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