Bhopal, Nov 1 (IANS) As Madhya Pradesh on Saturday celebrated its 70th Foundation Day, State Congress President Jitu Patwari on this occasion, pointed towards crucial issues, including mounting debt, unemployment, rising crimes against farmers and people belonging to the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.

Former Minister Patwari, who lost the 2023 state Assembly election from Indore’s Rau Assembly constituency, however, was elevated as the State Congress Chief after the Congress lost the polls under the then Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s leadership, on Saturday, alleged that 20 years of the BJP government failed in making the state fully developed.

“Today, when Madhya Pradesh is celebrating its 70th Foundation Day, we also need to have two important questions on our mind. One that, where we are at present and where we are supposed be after 70 years,” he said in statement, adding that, “70 per cent youths in the state are employed.”

The Congress leader reiterated claims on growing debt on Madhya Pradesh, alleging that the 20 years of the BJP government has pushed the state’s total debt burden to Rs 4.64 lakh crore, and on the other hand, farmers are dying by suicide due to bank loans.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led BJP government in the state has borrowed a fresh loan, this time to the tune of Rs 5,200 crore.

This fresh borrowing marks the 20th loan taken by the state government since coming to power and will push the state’s total debt burden to Rs 4.64 lakh crore.

The last loan of Rs 3,000 crore was taken on October 1, just before Dussehra.

Official sources said the new loan will be taken in two instalments — Rs 2,700 crore in the first phase and Rs 2,500 crore in the second.

The funds, officials say, are being raised to meet payments related to Madhya Pradesh’s Foundation Day celebrations, Ladli Behna Yojana installments, and other welfare and community development schemes.

On this occasion, the State Congress Chief also targeted the BJP-led state government on atrocities against the tribals, saying that Madhya Pradesh has the largest number of tribals and the NCRB’s data also revealed that the state reported highest number cases of atrocities against the tribals and Dalits across the country.

According to the NCRB’s fresh data, a total of 2,858 cases of crimes against STs were registered in Madhya Pradesh in 2023, compared to 2,979 in 2022.

–IANS

pd/khz