Mayawati launches Rs7,312 crore welfare schemes on her birthday

The Uttar Pradesh capital turned blue on Friday as fawning Bahujan Samaj Party  (BSP) leaders and bureaucrats outdid each other in wishing chief minister Mayawati a happy 54th birthday.

Statues of Mayawati, Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram  and several other Dalit leaders were bathed in blue  and even the fountains spouted water coloured by blue lights.

Mayawati, wearing a dark pink salwar-kurta, long coat and sparkling diamond-studded tops, unveiled 264 projects totalling Rs7,312 crore at a simple but impressive function at her official residence here. These include building new roads, flyovers, bridges, hospitals and power stations.

The BSP leader also released the Hindi and English editions of the fifth volume of her book, known as the party’s ‘Blue Book’ — A travelogue of my struggle-ridden life and BSP movement. The voluminous tome runs into 1,100 pages.

She announced a new scheme under which 30 lakh BPL families across the state would get Rs300 per month. Over 27,000 poor prisoners would be released, she said.

While being benevolent, Mayawati did not miss the opportunity to lash out at the Centre. “The government of India provides subsidised foodgrains to only 1.07 crore families whereas the total number of BPL families is much higher. My repeated pleas in this regard have fallen on deaf ears,” she said.