BENGALURU: Hopping from one crisis to another, the coalition government recently completed one year, but the Common Minimum Programme (CMP), that was meant to be its roadmap, is still gathering dust. There is no sign of it being made public, even as drumbeats of snap polls are beginning to be heard louder and louder across the state.
The Coalition Coordination Committee, constituted after HD Kumaraswamy took over as chief minister in May last year, had decided to come out with the CMP, the document to spell out the coalition government’s vision for the state’s development.
The CMP was prepared within weeks of the new government’s formation, after looking at promises made in the Congress and JDS manifestos. It came out with a number of big suggestions, including that of developing Bengaluru as a second national capital, and bringing in transparency in administration by involving civil society members.
These, however, remain mere suggestions, as the government has not taken any decision on incorporating it in policy-making, nor has the document been made public by the government or coordination committee, comprising leaders from coalition parties.
“We will have to ensure within five years that world-class infrastructure is created with a special package of at least Rs 1,00,000 crore through the state government, The government of India, consortiums and other alternative sources to facilitate making Bengaluru the second capital of India,” stated the CMP, which is yet to be made public. A copy of the CMP document is available with The New Indian Express.
The CMP, prepared by a committee headed by former Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily, made a number of suggestions on improving administration, bringing in transparency, establishing price stabilisation mechanism to minimize the impact on farmers of excessive volatility in crop prices, creating a distress fund to provide financial assistance and other support to farmers and skill development.
The committee consisted of Revenue Minister RV Deshpande, Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar of Congress, PWD Minister HD Revanna and Cooperative Minister Bandappa Kashampur of JDS.
“The focus of the government should have been on the basis of the CMP. Unless there is a clear roadmap, the coalition arrangement cannot focus on development,” Moily said. Both the parties had given assurances in their respective manifestos and the government must focus on at least implementing programmes incorporated in the CMP, he added.
After waiting for over a year, former CM Moily has now written to CM Kumaraswamy, Coordination Committee chief Siddaramaiah and senior Congress leaders, emphasizing the need to reassure the people that the coalition government is keen on implementing the programmes announced in the Congress and JDS manifestoes. Lack of coordination and clear vision was one of the main reasons for Congress-JDS candidates getting a drubbing in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
For the coalition partners, who are busy tackling crises from within and outside the coalition, the CMP or roadmap may not be a priority. “Since one year, they have been busy with coalition management and damage control exercises,” said political analyst Prof Kiran Gajanur. “At least now, they should come out with their vision on what they want to do and not just make political statements. They should make the CMP public,” he added.