Ranch, Oct. 5: The governor is working overtime to expedite implementation of various central and state welfare schemes, prompting his political rivals, particularly the BJP, to dub his initiatives as a publicity stunt ahead of the Assembly elections.

Kateekal Sankaranarayanan today distributed assets and launched projects worth Rs 120 crore while inaugurating the Palamau Vikas Mela in Daltonganj. The daylong fair saw the participation of Palamau, Latehar and Garhwa districts that fall under the Palamau commissionary.

Congress MP from Ranchi and Union food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahay was the chief guest on the occasion and advisory council member G. Krishnan was also present.

The governor gave away appointment letters to contractual and regular employees, crossbreed cows to cattlerearers, foodgrain to BPL beneficiaries, bicycles to girl students, wheelchairs to handicapped persons and jobs to dependants of victims of Maoist terror.

The list does not end here. Deputy commissioner of Palamau Amitabh Kaushal said Kateekal Sankaranarayanan also distributed consumption loan to drought-hit farmers, loans and subsidy under Sampurna Gram Swarozgar Yojana and Kisan Credit Cards.

“Permanent jobs of grade III and IV types have been offered to dependants of victims of Naxalite violence. Besides, hundreds of parateachers, rozgar sevaks, anganwadi sevikas and sahayikas have been given appointment letters,” he elaborated.

Political rivals, the BJP in particular, are, however, reading more in the governor’s itinerary. They believe the “overdrive” will continue till the Election Commission announces dates for the Assembly polls.

“All this hullabaloo and talks of development ahead of election are cheap publicity stunt. The governor and the Union minister are fooling the people. Three years of UPA administration has brought little change in our lives. We strongly oppose the governor’s moves,” BJP state president Raghubar Das said.

This is not the first time that Kateekal Sankaranarayanan has taken such an initiative. On October 3, he had distributed assets worth Rs 3 crore in Hotwar, Ranchi, while laying the foundation stone of a milk processing unit supported by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

His welfare bouquet has more in store.

Tomorrow, he is scheduled to hand over appointment letters to newly recruited officials in the fisheries department. The recruitment process had begun in 2008, during the tenure of former chief minister Madhu Koda.

He will also spend the next seven days in whirlwind tours to the remaining commissionaires that have headquarters in Dumka (Santhal Pargana), Hazaribagh (North Chhotanagpur), Chaibasa (SinghbhumKolhan) and Ranchi (South Chhotanagpur).