Another Independence Day, Another Yap Session

Rewind to 2007. The 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) has been presented.

The above table is from the official Planning Commission website [Link]. In case someone is interested in more details of the Planning Commission, click here

There were suggestions and statements made that every village would have electricity by the end of 2009. Not just that, but ROUND THE CLOCK electricity. In addition to that, it was harped on that every house in India would have electricity by 2012!

We had Sushil Kumar Shinde issuing statements:

"

“Central government will provide the electricity for all”, said Union Energy minister Sushil Kumar Shinde as government has proposed to enlarge the capacity of all the power projects in the country by the end of 11th five-year plan.

Link

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That was NOT all. Shinde kept yapping about his 'master plan' even in 2008 when he reassured that EVERY VILLAGE will have electricity by the end of 2009.

"

All villages in the country will be electrified by December 2009, Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said here today. Shinde also announced that BPL people in every village would get free electricity connection under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojna, a central scheme. Today, the minister inaugurated a unit under the scheme at Goalpokhor, 100km from here.

Link

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Lots of headlines, shit loads of media coverage, interviews, photo opportunities followed…

A few years later… on 15th August 2012 – one comes across a news article:

"

In his Independence Day address, Dr Singh said while almost all villages have been electrified, "our next target is to provide electricity to each and every household in our country in the next five years and to also improve the supply of electricity".

Link

In other words, what was supposed to have been completed in 2009 is pending even in 2012.

I just wish that there were news stories highlighting this as well and not just the Independence Day parade (waste of time and money, in my opinion). A simple recap of all the promises made, of all the deadlines missed.

It's not that I have anything against the UPA. In my view - all Indian political parties / coalitions are equally corrupt and equally incompetent. Things have reached a level where the problems can't be FIXED. The country can not be repaired. Absolute annihilation would actually be considered a huge improvement to the present day situation.

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This post was for those of you who wonder why I show no interest for August 15th 'Celebrations'.

I received a text message in the morning and then got a call from another friend who wanted to know why I have no sense of PRIDE (thuuu) for the nation.

JFTR, what is highlighted above is just an example.

Dikhaawon pe mat jaao. Apni akal ladaao.