Gujarat does it yet again! In the India Today State of the States Award 2012, Gujarat has been declared the Best Big State (Overall). The state has topped this list for the second time in a row and yet again emerged with flying colours thanks to the dynamic and pro-people leadership of Shri Narendra Modi that has transformed the state as an engine of development.
Development has reached all corners of Gujarat
Writing on Gujarat’s ascendency and the State of the State Poll, an article on the India Today Website notes that the development has reached all corners of Gujarat. It further states that Gujarat’s equal focus on all sectors has helped- the state is the only one to boast of double digit growth both in agriculture and industry.The article notes the role played by the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana and the Sagarkhedu Yojana in stimulating the development in Gujarat.
The Vanbandhu Yojana is a package launched in 2007 exclusively for the Tribal Communities. It is one of the biggest and most comprehensive projects dedicated towards tribal development in India. When the scheme was launched the Budget was Rs. 15,000 crore. Shri Modi often recalls how that time the Congress Party ridiculed this initiative and asked how the Government would get the money. That year, instead of Rs. 15,000 crore, Rs. 18,000 crore was spent of the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana. Today in a matter of 5 years the package has gone up to Rs. 40,000 crore- indicating the scale of development and the priority of the Government towards development of Tribal communities.
The Sagarkhedu Yojana, on the other hand is a unique 12 point flagship programme aimed at improving life in the coastal areas of Gujarat. Gujarat is the state with the longest coastline in India. Going beyond livelihood issues, it takes a holistic and integrated view giving importance to dignity of life, giving our coastal areas a key role in the economy and at the same time preserving the ecosystem.
Noting the importance given to agriculture, the India Today article states (reproduced verbatim from the article)
“Eight lakh hectares of farmland in Gujarat has come under drip and sprinkler irrigation, compared to 10,000 hectares a decade ago. Tushar Shah, director of Colombo-based International Water Management Institute, did a comparative study of the agricultural growth of Saurashtra region in Gujarat and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in 2012. Two decades ago, the two regions were on a par in agriculture. Today, Saurashtra is doing three times better than Vidarbha. "In agriculture, Gujarat has set a great example of a sustainable growth that emphasized agricultural research, and took scientific farming to the farmers," says Shah.”
It may be recalled that in September this year Shri Modi launched the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana, a Rs. 10,000 crore initiative under which 115 irrigation dams of all 7 districts of Saurashtra will be filled with Surplus Narmada water.
In 2009 the Government had launched the Garib Kalyan Melas with a determination to abolish poverty from the lives of the people. Till date over 1000 Garib Kalyan Melas have been held in which works worth Rs. 13,000 crore have been given to over 85 lakh beneficiaries. The Garib Kalyan Melas have exterminated the role of middleman, who earlier cut into the development works actually meant for the people.
Shri Modi Consistently Ranked Best CM
In the India Today Mood of the Nation Poll of August 2012, Shri Narendra Modi one again emerged on top in the ‘Best CM’ category. Shri Modi has maintained this slot for quite some time now.
In a vey recent opinion poll conducted by India Today-ORG Marg from 12th to 18th October 2012, the survey concluded that the people of Gujarat are once again set to repose their faith in Shri Modi and the BJP and give them a mandate to serve the people for another 5 years,
Gujarat goes to polls in December and the survey revealed a clear thumbs up to Shri Modi’s inspiring Governance with the Mantra of Sabka ‘Saath, Sabka Vikas’.
Gujarat Tops India in the Highest Social Capital
Gujarat bagging the top slot in the India Today States Conclave comes at a time when the 2012 Global Prosperity Index by the Legatum Institute declared that Gujarat scores the highest on social capital in India. When compared to 142 nations of the world, Gujarat ranks 15th alongside Germany and ahead of several other developed states.
Gujarat Among the Fastest Growing States, its Development Model Most Unique!
A strong thumbs up to Gujarat’s development under Shri Narendra Modi was given by Asia’s leading brokerage firm CLSA. CLSA placed Gujarat among the fastest growing states and termed its development model as most unique.Like the observation by India Today, CLSA noted that both industry and agriculture are thriving in Gujarat. Furthermore, it notes that growth is possible due to the industry friendly policies of the Government that has drawn investment from all over the world. It also notes that Gujarat’s growth is driven by low reliance on Central funds, a perfect answer to those who keep seeing imaginary Hands in the state’s growth in the last few years.
A report by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) noted that Gujarat tops the list among states, receiving the highest share of private investment, both domestic and international.
If one seeks to see what a proactive Government with a dynamic leader can do, one must come to Gujarat. Under the blessings of Shri Modi, the state has scaled heights of development never seen before. Shri Modi often says- till now he only filled the ditches of preceding 40 years of Congress rule. The March towards a glorious and divine Gujarat will begin soon. If this was only the trailer, we are sure looking forward to seeing the rest of the film!
