BJP TODAY

May 16--31, 2003 - Vol. 12, No. 10

Narendra Modi Completes 111 days in office

Having received the first massive mandate of its kind in the 21st Century, the Council of Ministers has completed 111 days of governance on the right direction on April 11, 2003. The Narendra Modi government has taken many decisive steps to hasten the pace development in making a modern Gujarat. Here are some examples.

ISSUES WITH CENTRE SETTLED FAST

It was owing to the forceful pleas with respective Union Ministries that several issues pending with the Centre for the last several years could be settled fast, with a direct benefit of Rs 2,112 crores as central assistance sanctioned within three months, helping the state gain further strength in the march to progress.

On the issue of crude oil royalty pending for the last 30 years, Gujarat would not get a royalty of Rs 850 crores with the approval of the new crude oil royalty formula, subject to further increase with international market price parity. The state would receive an additional amount of Rs 292 crores this year alone. The state has for the first time received approval to issue tax-free Narmada Bond. Under the Centre's Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, the amount for the Narmada Canal Project has been increased from Rs 403 crores to Rs 1,000 crores. Under deemed exports benefit scheme, the power plant at the Narmada Project would save Rs 56 crores on turbine, generator and other machinery from Japan, the issue was being pursued by the state for the last seven years.

The Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB) has received the highest amount of Rs 536 crores from the Centre for the best performance in bringing about reforms in power sector. The Government of Gujarat (GoG) has reduced a burden of Rs 125 crores on GEB by arranging coal rail linkages with the Western Coalfields.

The Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC), a GoG Undertaking, has won a contract for exploring and exploiting oil and gas in the offshore Krishna-Godavari basin. The Rs 345-crore Gandhidham-Palanpur railway gauge conversion project was started by the Prime Minister through video-conferencing.

To meet the spectre of drought, the Centre has allocated additional railway wagons to carry fodder. The Prime Minister has sanction Rs 150.87 crores for Gujarat under with the Centre's special package for the 13 drought-affected states. The Centre has accepted the state's plea to extend exemption on cement and iron-steel for reconstruction of the quake-hit Kutch from Central Excise for another year.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Ahmedabad-Nadiad portion of the Expressway, which was in limbo for several years. The foundation store was laid for the country's first Apparel Garment Park to be built in Surat at a cost of Rs 1,500 crores.

QUALITATIVE CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION

No sooner than the Chief Minister took the reins he initiated several steps to bring about a qualitative change in the administration, arranging 30 workshops for Secretaries, a unique workshop for Ministers and senior Secretaries at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), bringing about an attitudinal change, instilling a new confidence among all and foretelling long-term benefits.

PANCHAMRIT YOJNA AS PILLARS OF REVOLUTION

The GoG has launched a farsighted Panchamrit Yojna - a combination of Jnanashakti, Urjashakti, Jalshakti, Janshakti and Rakshashakti - as an integrated approach for all round development of the state.

ECONOMIC REFORMS PAY DIVIDENDS

The financial discipline and other measures taken by the GoG for Economic Reforms have started paying dividends in the form Gujarat receiving an additional Central assistance of Rs 2,112 crores under 16 project heads. The state has initiated an intensive state-wise campaign to check the age-old malady of power theft, with thefts of Rs 56.65 crores already detected even as the campaign is still on.

The Bills releated to Economic Reforms passed in the Budget Session of the State Assembly are aimed at regularising Court Fees, Stamp Fee, unauthorised building constructions, non-productive expenditure and corruption at every level to ensure higher revenue. The Cabinet Sub-Committee has begun exercise on re-organisation of the statutory government undertakings.

It was only after studying the observations of domestic and foreign financial institutions, trade and industries organisations that the Planning Commission has set a target of 10.2% growth rate for Gujarat as compared to the nation's 8%, reflects the Centre's confidence on the state's capacity to achieve higher goals.

BUILDING AN ATMOSPHERE OF CONFIDENCE IN TRADE & INDUSTRY

With the newly elected government getting a massive people's mandate and the anti-Gujarat tirade getting a beating at national and international forums, Gujarat pressed hard the accelerator for development to take a decisive role in the nation's economy. The Astrakhan Governor of the Russian federation leading a high-level business delegation to Gujarat to enter into several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with GoG and Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). UNIDO Director-General has also entered into several MoUs for technological upgradation of various industries in the state. Several nations, notably Japan and Indonesia, besides Ficci, have shown interest to forge associations with Gujarat.

The meetings held with captains of trade and industry held in New Delhi and Mumbai projecting the state as 'Gujarat Unlimited' have added new dimension to the state's identity as the destination for investment. Gujarat continued to maintain its Numero Uno position in the implementation of industrial projects.

MEASURES TO CHECK ILLS IN THE CO-OPERATIVE SECTOR

The government has initiated steps to take exemplary actions against the guilty and disburse Rs 850 crores to the depositors of erring co-operative banks to protect the interest of lakhs of small depositors and regain their confidence in the system.

HISTORIC PASSAGE OF 26 BILLS IN THE HOUSE

In all, 26 important bills were passed during the 21-day Budget Session of the State Assembly. The timely legal provisions are aimed at controlling organised crimes and checking religious conversions under threat or bribe. Implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) is on the cards. The other bills are related to modernisation of disaster management, stricter implementation of prohibition, reforms in power generation and distribution and checking power thefts - all with a view to improving the quality of people's life.

CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTI-SOCIAL ELEMENTS

The GoG has invoked POTA against anti-social elements involved in the Godhra carnage, has seized brown sugar and other narcotics worth Rs 30 crores, increasing the moral strength of the police force. It has started mobile legal service for the rural areas and ensured release of 280 fishermen from jails in Pakistan.

PURIFICATION OF EDUCATION EARNS LAUREL

The campaign launched to purify the educational world has earned the state accolades at national level. They include extending educational facilities in rural areas under Jnanarath Yojna, teaching mathematics and science in schools in English medium and other subjects in mother tongue and group insurance scheme in schools.

The GoG has granted in-principle approval for setting up a University in Kutch and National Law University in Gujarat, Dhirubhai Ambani Information Technology University and Nirma Technology and Management University.

PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT

The GoG held 18,180 gram sabhas in the state in the fourth round with a average of settling 77% of disputes. The government is getting people's co-operation in its campaign to check power theft. The government held elections to nagarpalikas and panchayats pending for long. The number of 'Samras' villages unanimously electing their leaders has recorded an increase of 30%. A prize of Rs one lakh has been announced for addiction-free and disputes-free villages. The construction of check dams with people's co-operation has received good response. Over 50,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) for women have started functioning.

RELIEF WORK FOR DROUGHT

Even as drought has hit 6,021 villages, timely preparation of Master Plan has helped GoG provide jobs to 4.95 at 3,144 relief camps creating 1.63 crores man-days employment so far, providing fodder to 2.50 lakh cattle-heads at 201 panjrapols and 131 pashuwaas through 301 fodder depots, besides providing jobs in areas not hit by drought as well on humanitarian grounds. It is providing five kg of food grains free to the old and infirm.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

The GoG has implemented the new gas policy, dividing the state into five zones, has started tarring the village roads and state highways under the Prime Minister's Scheme with World Bank assistance. It has set up a State Water Council and implemented phase-I of the Water Supply Project to carry one million acre feet of surplus water from Narmada to the Saurashtra-Kutch and North Gujarat regions. In the field of agriculture are formed Agri Export Zones (AEZs).
In a way, the state's budgetary proposals for the current financial year reflected the government's cumulative efforts during its first 111 days in power to make a strong and powerful Gujarat.