Implementation of the UPA government?s flagship Bharat Nirman programme has been relatively better in the Left-ruled states of Kerala and West Bengal than most other states.
According to a first hand review done by members of the Planning Commission, though progress was slow in some programmes like Pradhan
Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), other major schemes like Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Indira Awas Yojana are doing well.
However, the quality of roads, constructed under PMGSY, in the CPM-ruled West Bengal has been found to be good. Member Anwarul Hoda who visited the state to assess the implementation of the programmes in the state did point to the fact that the cost of building the roads was very high.
Work under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) too, is reported to be going on well with just a post of male health worker being vacant in the Sohai-Swetpur gram panchayat (GP). The health sub-centre situated here catered to all the entire GP?s population of 8,211 against the norm of 5,000. The sub-centre was well stocked with medicines and the only complaint the president of the GP had was that the programme is available only for people below the poverty line (BPL). This is because West Bengal is a non-focus state under NRHM.
Implementation of NRHM in Kerala has strengthened the public health system. The state has one of the lowest maternal mortality rate (MMR) and highest institutional delivery at 99%. About 115 community health centres are being upgraded to Indian Public Health Standards which would be done by end of this year and another 90 will be in a position to be declared as IPHS soon, member Bhalchandra Mungekar wrote in his review report that has been sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Progress of SSA has been good in both the states though Hoda felt that the number of teachers were “grossly inadequate” in West Bengal. The students in Mirjapur complained about the poor road quality in the area. The school enrollment in Kerala was almost 100% with just 0.5% dropout. The state had also achieved the gender gap targets and free text books have been distributed to 17.78 lakh students against the target of 16.88 lakh during 2006-07. The only matter of concern has been the quality of education. Mungekar also suggested increasing the cost of civil works from Rs 1.5 lakhs to Rs 2.5 lakhs.
The Mid-Day Meal scheme in both the states is running smoothly in collaboration with the self help groups. In Kerala, 9 th standard students too have been included in the programme.
Though the states have been doing well in the impleme-ntation of social sector programmes, they need to do more regarding infrastructure initiatives like RGGVY. Against an outlay of Rs 120 crore, Kerala had spent just Rs 1.11 crore. Though the implementation of the programme was good in West Bengal, people complained about the qualityof supply of electricity which saw interruptions in supply.
