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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Congress risks Election Commission rap on cash transfer plan -Bharti Jain

Congress risks Election Commission rap on cash transfer plan -Bharti Jain

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published Published on Dec 2, 2012   modified Modified on Dec 2, 2012
-The Times of India

By announcing the direct cash transfer scheme and fielding senior ministers from the Congress platform, the Manmohan Singh government may have risked the ire of the Election Commission (EC).

The election watchdog will meet on Sunday to deliberate over opposition BJP's complaint that cash transfers are essentially a poll sop, unveiled ahead of the Gujarat assembly election.

The timing of the announcement in November although the scheme is to roll out only by January 1, 2013 and the use of the Congress plank by senior ministers P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh to pitch cash transfers as a "game-changer" seem to have caught the EC's attention.

The commission will consider if the government's move violates the model code of conduct and skews the playing field in the poll-bound state where Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and Congress are locked in a straight fight.

The government sees cash transfers as a major poll hook, coining the slogan "aap ke paise, aap ke haath" while seeing the benefits of the scheme in streamlining subsidies and getting rid of ghost beneficiaries. With the reform motif sitting cheek by jowl with a populist appeal, UPA sees cash transfers in the same league as rural employment guarantee and the nationwide loan-waiver.

BJP is yet to take a formal view on cash transfers, recognizing the scheme's populist overtones, but is concentrating on raising objections to it timing and intent.

According to Nirvachan Sadan sources, EC has received the cabinet secretary's response to BJP's complaint questioning the timing of the scheme's announcement and seeking its immediate withdrawal. A decision by the EC is expected on Sunday itself.

The EC, according to an official, is likely to take the government to task over the timing of the announcement that seeks to transfer cash to beneficiary bank accounts for 29 welfare schemes. Transfers are to be made to aadhar-related bank accounts of individuals in 51 districts across 16 states from January 1.

Sources said the EC is likely to question the government's urgency in announcing the cash transfer scheme mid-way through the assembly poll process, especially when its rollout was scheduled only by the New Year, by when state elections would be over.

"They could have waited until after December 20 (when results for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls are to be declared) to announce the scheme. The declaration could have been made anytime between December 20 and 31," an EC official pointed out.

EC is likely to put implementation of the Cabinet decision on hold at least in Gujarat, accounting for four of the 51 districts in the first phase. However, this would make little difference on the ground as the scheme rolls out only on January 1.

The government, in a reply sent to the EC on Saturday, is said to have defended its announcement saying the scheme was a promise made in its election manifesto for 2009 Lok Sabha poll. Also, it argued that the scheme was for the entire country and not poll-bound states alone.

Incidentally, Chidambaram had, while addressing a briefing from the Congress platform a day after announcement of the scheme, congratulated the government for "the pioneering and path-breaking reform" that aimed at efficient delivery of benefits to the poor.

"Aapka paisa, aapke haath (your money, in your hands)" was described as the goal of "this revolutionary, historic programme" by rural development minister Jairam Ramesh.

BJP, alleging that the scheme was announced only as a vote-catcher ahead of the polling in Gujarat, approached the EC on Friday. The party delegation, comprising senior leader LK Advani and leaders of opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, sought withdrawal of the scheme and insisted it be deferred until after the assembly polls.

Chidamabaram had denied the charge that the scheme had something to do with the approaching elections: "Elections will come and elections will go. But look at it through the eyes of the people of this country," he had said.

The Times of India, 2 December, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congress-risks-Election-Commission-rap-on-cash-transfer-plan/articleshow/17446879.cms


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