Time for change: Prakash Javadekar

PUDUCHERRY: Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar has said the time is ripe for a change in Union territory of Puducherry as the people here aspire for a corruption-free good governance as being showcased by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Centre.
Javadekar, who is the party in-charge for the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, was in Puducherry along with BJP MP Mahesh Giri on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference he said he will be travelling more in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry after being made party in-charge for assembly polls and said he could sense that the time is ripe for a change in his first two visits.
“What we have done in the Centre is complete departure from the way Congress ruled the country. Everything was corrupt (in the Congress regime). The average time needed for clearing an environmental project was 600 days in the UPA regime. We made the processes transparent and standardized. In the last two years the average time for clearance came down to 190 days. We are going to bring down to 100 days. We want development without destruction. This is good governance,” he said.
He said the Union government has been not only auctioning coal mines but all mines. “Coal mines, sand mines and spectrum allocation were all big scams (in the previous UPA regime). Every natural resource was allotted by corrupt means. Things have changed now. We decided to auction and whatever we mobilize (through the auction) will be spent for the poorest of the poor and tribal people,” he said.
He said the Union government mobilized more than Rs three lakh crore by auctioning 40 coal mines and argued that now people can reason how the previous government swindled Rs 1.86 lakh crore while allocating coal blocks.
“We have brought transparency in the administration. Now people want jobs. Modi government is for the poor, downtrodden, youth, women, farmers and each and every section of the society. What we have seen today is just trailer. Many people from different organization pledged their support to us. Those who believe in Modi’s model of good governance and in his ability and leadership of Modi to take the country forward are welcome,” he said.
He evaded a direct reply when questioned whether BJP-All India NR Congress alliance still continues. AINRC and BJP fought the 2014 Lok Sabha polls together. However the two parties fell apart after the polls.
“In parliament elections, we (BJP-AINRC) have won here. So therefore we want all NDA partners also to be part of this growth story,” he said when queried about alliance. When pressed for a direct answer he said, “We have already started our preparations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and from next week, we will intensify the preparation. We welcome support of all such forces and organizations who want to be part of the growth story of Modi government. Those who want and believe in the leadership of Modi and all such forces are welcome. There is time limit for that. We can’t wait endlessly. We can change Puducherry much better.” He said the Centre is committed to total development of Puducherry and added, “We want the mandate of the people”. He made it clear that other parties except Congress and Communists are welcome.