What Is In The Name: Government Projects

The latest issue is regarding name change of various projects by earlier congress government.

Hyderabad: The various actions and inactions by government are always a point of criticism for the opposition. With the new government in place, the latest news doing the rounds is regarding renaming of the projects/schemes/plans by earlier congress governments – in centre and states as well.

Any activity needs to be called with some name. The natural calamities like cyclones are also having names to identify the action, the result of the calamity, the rehabilitation activities by the respective government. A title is required to account all the above under one particular head in a planned and organized manner.

Similarly the activities of the government are also coming with some title. The rural employment guarantee program is famous with Mahatma Gandhi. Many of the congress’ activities are having title from Nehru-Gandhi family like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira, Rajiv etc. Other leaders (even from congress party like PV Narasimha Rao) are not able to find them eligible to name a scheme after their name.

There are hundreds and thousands of schemes – at centre and state level. All these schemes have names for identification purpose.

One of the minister in the Modi’s cabinet Ashok Gajapathi Raju (belonging to TDP) mentioned changing name of international airport in Hyderabad. Hitherto, the airport is named ‘Rajiv Gandhi International Airport’. The minister’s remark to rename the airport after the NT Rama Rao, gave fresh rise to the issue of renaming the projects.

Local congress leaders (like VH) lost no time and they reverted mentioning that the renaming of the airport is hurting the sentiments of many congress leaders and congress followers.

A quick look at the naming of the schemes indicates that there are as many as 58 central government schemes running worth crores of rupees are named after the Nehru, Indira, Rajiv. Is the government planning to rename all these projects are a big question for the time being?

Many of the projects/works are already familiar with certain name and renaming the same might create sense of confusion in the minds of the users/beneficiaries. To avoid this kind of unwanted situation, government need to come out with more clear guidelines in connection with naming of the projects.

To settle the present issue, Modi came out clear mentioning that there is no attempt to rename the projects for the time being.