Accusing the Centre of step-motherly treatment to non-BJP ruled States, Madhya Pradesh PWD Minister Sajjan Singh Verma has alleged that the Centre is yet to offer a single penny for improvements in roads after devastation caused by the heavy rains and floods in the State.

While talking to media persons here at the PCC office,

Verma told, “After the devastating floods in the State, we had forwarded to the Centre a proposal of Rs 1,181 crore for improvements in the roads but till date, the Centre did not give a single penny.”

“We have some funds in the department and Chief Minister Kamal Nath has also instructed other government departments to divert their unused funds to PWD, claimed the minister. The politician claimed that the maximum damage was done to roads in Mandsaur-Neemuch adding that road repair is underway on war footing in the region. Across Madhya Pradesh, we have asked the senior officers of the department to ensure that road repairs works are completed by Nov 30, he added. The minister also narrated sorry state of affairs for the national highways passing through Madhya Pradesh stating that he and CM Kamal Nath met union minister Nitin Gadkari several times for funds for improving these crumbling highways but he could not offer any help.

Citing the reason for the same, the minister claimed that the Centre has turned Central Road Fund into Central Road and Infrastructure Fund as a result of which gthe resources are diverted in other sectors as well and MP too has faced a cut in allocation from the dedicated fund. Verma blamed the Centre’s move of converting the fund as a direct result of a tussle going on between PM Modi and Gadkari.