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Blowing Cash

Far better things to do with the poll money

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on:

Total expenditure on Elections ’99 is Rs 1,900 crore. government will spend Rs 900 crore, and the rest, political parties. Roughly Rs 1,800 crore was spent on the mid- term elections. That adds up to Rs 3,700 crore for two avoidable elections.

With Rs 3,700 crore you could do any of these...

  • Set up a 1,000- MW power plant, which could light one million rural households, or 250,000 urban houses
  • Build new highways from Chennai to Nellore, Bangalore to Chennai, Surat to Manor, Jaipur to Ajmer
  • Build 8,000 top- of- the- line hospital rooms
  • Set up 1,233,333 low- cost houses at Rs 30,000 for single- room dwelling with a kitchen and toilet
  • Set up a 620- MW nuclear power plant
  • Take care of ISRO’s entire budget for two years
  • Buy 24 Sukhoi 30s for the Indian Air Force
  • Buy two second- hand aircraft carriers
  • Clean up the Ganga and the Yamuna and have Rs 2,000 crore left over

    IF POLLS  ARE IN SEPTEMBER

  • India loses out on commiments to the World Trade Organisation
  • No public sector disinvestment possible
  • Rs 33,600 crore of power sector investment proposals remain stuck
  • India cannot sign the Comprehensive Test Ban

    50 BUSINESS - RELATED BILLS HANG FIRE

  • Securities Contract Regulation(Amendment) Bill
  • Prevention of Money Laundering  BILL
  • Lok Pal Bill
  • Foreign Exchange Management ACT(Amendment) Bill
  • Recovery of Debt due to Banks Financial Institutions (Amendment) BILL
  • Geographical Indications and Biodiversities Bill
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