Rajnath Singh rules out `downsizing' Ministry

Rajnath Singh rules out `downsizing' Ministry
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

LUCKNOW, NOV 26: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh today ruled out the possibility of `downsizing' his jumbo Ministry often criticised by opposition as containing `criminal elements'.

Singh said that he could ``expand and reshuffle'' the present Council of Ministers when required.

Asked whether a huge Ministry was not a drain on the state exchequer at a time when the state was experincing a poor fiscal situation, Singh said that the size of the ministry was not going to make any big effect on the state's Financial health.

He, however, underlined the need to take effective steps to augment the financial resources of the state.

He denied that retaining all the Ministers of the Ram Prakash Gupta government, barring four from the hill region was an act of ``political expediency''.

Singh did not foresee any threat to his Government in the wake of creation of Uttaranchal as the allies were firmly with his Government and the opposition was in ``disarray''.

The Chief Minister dared the opposition to bring a no-confidence motion in the Vidhan Sabha exuding confidence that such a motion, if brought, would be ``defeated'' and the opposition would not ``remain intact''.

On whether the fact that the Chief Minister, the state president and top bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary and top police officials being from upper castes, would alienate the backwards and Dalits from the party, Singh said BJP's support base was ``growing'' and it was poised to emerge stronger.

Singh said he was confident that his party would fare well in recently concluded local bodies polls, but hastened to add that their results would have ``no bearing on his Government as these were fought on purely local issues''.

The Government was endeavouring several programmes for the welfare of Dalits and Minorities, he added.

In reply to a question, Singh said that the creation of the Uttaranchal state would have no effect on the financial health of the state, though adding that Uttar Pradesh had ``of course'' been deprived of major tourist spots and prominent religious places.

The Chief Minister said that it was difficult to compensate the loss of these places but being a big state was still left with several places of tourist attraction including Ayodhya, Mathura, Agra and Varanasi.

Singh said that in a bid to promote religious places, the Government had undertaken a massive programme to renovate the `ghats' on the Ganges.

Places of Buddhist pilgrimmage like Shravasti, Sarnath and Kushinagar would be further be developed in a big way as these places had tremendous tourist potential, Singh said.