CM not interested in Lokayukta: Rawat

Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat's announcement that a separate commission will be set up in Uttarakhand to probe corruption cases, his predecessor Harish Rawat today said it seems the CM was no longer interested in constituting a Lokayukta.
The former chief minister also said that he was in favour that all corruption cases unearthed since the creation of Uttarakhand being handed over to the commission if it was created.
"It seems the chief minister has no interest now in creating a Lokayukta or bringing in tough laws to eliminate corruption," Rawat said, commenting on the chief minister's Independence Day announcement that a separate commission is being constituted in the state to probe corruption cases in a time-bound manner and punish the guilty.

"Still if a commission headed by a sitting judge of the high court is constituted and an effective step is taken to put an end to corruption I will welcome it," the Congress leader added.
Creation of a Lokayukta was part of the BJP's vision document for the assembly elections in Uttarakhand earlier this year which the party contested on a strong anti- corruption plank.
The former chief minister also termed the GST package for the state based industries as a "delayed step" saying he had fought for it during his tenure.
"We wanted this facility to be extended to the state for ten years. We had fought for it relentlessly at the meetings of the GST Council. If the Centre had conceded our demand at that time the state's industries would not have suffered. However, better late than never," he said.