Implement Sarkaria recommendations, or else...

Chief ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra and Rajasthan on Wednesday issued an ultimatum to the Centre to implement the Sarkaria Commission recommendations by December 31.

The ultimatum was contained in the Jaipur resolution adopted at the one-day conference of chief ministers of states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies. Rajasthan's Bhairon Singh Shekawat convened the meeting.

The conclave authorised Shekhawat to establish contact with chief ministers of other states to pressurise the Centre into implementing the recommendations.

The conference, however, has not decided on any action plan if the Centre does not comply.

Shekhawat said though the Commission submitted its recommendations about 11 years ago, the Centre has not yet done anything.

The chief ministers unanimously agreed that the misuse of Article 356 by the Centre to bring down duly elected governments should be stopped, and the appointment of governors must be with the state government's consent. Mere consultation was not enough, it observed.

Besides Centre-state relations, the conference discussed internal security, economic reforms at the state level, poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, innovations in public system and delegation of powers for clearance of power, water and mineral based projects.

The conference endorsed Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma's demand for full statehood for the Union territory. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's demand for adequate assistance from the Centre for rehabilitating Punjab's crippled economy was also endorsed.

Haryana, as its neighbours Punjab, should also be adequately compensated for tackling insurgency these past years, the resolution noted.

UNI