YEH MERA INDIA

Worst than Chambal dacoits

New Delhi: Lashing out at regional transport offices (RTOs), Union Minister Nitin Gadkari termed them as the most corrupt in the country and said they indulge in loots bigger than those of dacoits of Chambal.

“RTO is the most corrupt organisation in the country. They are indulged in loot surpassing even what the dacoits did in the forests of Chambal,” Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said while giving vent to his anger over large scale corruption at RTOs.

 Peeved at delay in implementation of the new motor law, he said once the Road Transport and Safety Bill is enacted, it will reform the entire sector.

The vested interests opposed to transparency and computerisation in the transport sector are against the new bill and “I am pained to say” that RTO officials have provoked ministers in the states to oppose the bill, he said at the Jagran Forum of Dainik Jagran here.

 “I feel guilty conscious… Nowhere driving licences can be obtained so easily as in India. Thirty per cent of these are bogus licences,” he said adding that the racket by RTOs was behind opposition to the Bill and was behind the propaganda that the Centre would infringe upon their rights.

The states are on board now and once the new law is enacted, it will change the transport sector with electronic driving licences, online permits and other reforms, he said.

 The Bill incorporates the global best practices and provides for the creation of a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Authority to look after all issues related to vehicle regulation and road safety.

 It also seeks to come down heavily on traffic offenders and proposes steep penalties of up to Rs 3 lakh along with a minimum 7-year imprisonment for death of a child in certain circumstances, besides huge fines for driving violations.Gadkari said the government was committed to bringing transparency, e-governance, corruption-free and electronic system and appeals to all political parties in the country to extend cooperation and bring this RTO Raj to an end as this is extortion whether in Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh.

 “I want to change the transport system. My bill is pending with Cabinet for the last eight months. Prime Minister tells me I am creating new controversy by this Bill as states are shouting their rights are encroached. PM has asked for states consent,” he said and added that he has sent clear cut messages to states that their rights would not be encroached upon.

 “I feel guilty conscious. Five lakh accidents take place in the country in which three lakh become handicapped and 1.5 lakh are killed. My leg was fractured at four places in the becon-light vehicle. My Secretary lost his child. I am responsible for the accidents, my road engineering is responsible,” Gadkari

said.  The minister said all traffic related problems pertaining to the national capital will be addressed in two years while the Rs 13,000 crore projects, the foundation stone of which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month would be completed within 400 days.

To fight TB: Rs. 50/- nutrition allowence

Mumbai: The employees of civic-run Sewri TB hospital, who have contracted tuberculosis (TB), will now get nutritious food allowance. Ironically, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to give only Rs 50 as food allowances to the employees.

The fourth class employees of the hospital deal with TB patients every day, due to continuous contact with patients, they easily contract the disease.  These employees get paid leave if they contract TB, but they also need nutritious food to get rid of the disease. The hospital also provides them free treatment for TB.

Currently, fourth class employees are getting only Rs 150 to Rs 190 as allowance.

Forth class employees are soft targets for contracting the disease and due to poor hygienic conditions, they are always on high risk. Even after treatment, they are unable to overcome the risk of the disease. So the BMC has decided to give them a nutritious food allowance.

Sanjay Kambale, secretary of Municipal Mazdoor Sangh said the initiative is good, but the BMC have to rethink over the decision as the amount is very less.