The Dalit leader, who has in the past courted controversy over her birthday celebrations, will also announce a slew of schemes during a programme at the newly constructed Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar auditorium tomorrow morning.
Blue lights, hoardings and welcome arches dot virtually every crossing in Lucknow which has been decked up for UP chief minister Mayawati's 55th birthday tomorrow even as the opposition accused the ruling BSP of "extorting" money and misusing government machinery.
The Dalit leader, who has in the past courted controversy over her birthday celebrations, will also announce a slew of schemes during a programme at the newly constructed Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar auditorium tomorrow morning.
The chief minister has been in the past slammed for observing the day as 'Arthik SahyoG Diwas' when "donations" collected by party MPs, MLAs and workers were gifted to her.
But the sensational killing of a PWD engineer in December 2008 allegedly by a BSP MLA and his aides after he refused to give them money prompted Mayawati to stop the practice.
Though Mayawati, who will face elections next year, has asked party workers not to take "chanda" (donations) for her birthday celebrations, opposition Samajwadi Party alleged that officials were pressurised to "extort" money from people.
"The BSP supremo has been collecting money for the birthday and the practice is on this year too. Government funds are being misused blatantly for the celebrations," senior SP leader Ashok Bajpai said.
BJP leader Santosh Singh alleged that government machinery was misused by the BSP for extorting money for "the brazen show of power".
As in the past, several schemes and measures will be unveiled by Mayawati including a new legislation aimed at making government officials "accountable to the common man".
The Janhit Guarantee Bill promises timely delivery of information and documents like birth and death certificates and revenue records to the people, an official said.
It also empowers the people to file complaints against officials in case of a delay.
The people can appeal to commissioners about the delay and the officials will be fined if the complaints are found to be true, he said.
The proposed legislation is on the lines of the Right to Information Act (RTI) which came into effect in the country in 2005.
Besides this, "a hike in financial assistance from Rs300 per month to Rs400 per month under Mukhyamantri Mahamaya Garib Arthik Madad Yojna, which was launched on her previous birthday, will be announced by the chief minister," the official said.
The chief minister will be gifting mobile medical units in remote areas of 15 districts where health facilities are almost negligible, like Naxal affected areas.
Mayawati will also be launching the second phase of a sewerage treatment plant in Lucknow, besides dedicating to the people the renovation project in Hazratganj, one of the oldest markets in the city which completed 200 years last month.
Among the new projects to be inaugurated by the chief minister is the auditorium constructed by Rajkiya Nirman Nigam at Ram Manohar Lohia National University (RMLNLU), which is named after Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
"The auditorium spread over an area of around 1,200 square metre will have a capacity of 3,100," the official said.
All parks and memorials are being illuminated blue, the BSP's colour, to celebrate the occasion. In a bid to avoid criticism from opposition parties, generators have been installed wherever lighting arrangements have been made.
The entire 3-4 km stretch to Ambekdar Park from Mayawati's 5 Kalidas Marg residence has been lit up with blue lights.
Senior party leaders, wannabe politicians, ticket aspirants and local businessmen have put up hoardings by dozens greeting Mayawati.
Mayawati had stirred controversy on the party's foundation day in March last year when she accepted a massive garland of currency notes.
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