Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today said that BJP retaining power in the state even after 22 years of rule in the state, rising above the previous governments’ appeasement policy, reflected people’s mandate reposing confidence on the government for development, prosperity, peace and safety.

Replying to debate on Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address to the State Assembly here, he said that debate by the members of the treasury and opposition benches are important in the parliamentary system of democracy. He said the government would accept valuable suggestion’s that are practical and for people’s welfare.

He said the BJP government in the state rather improved its vote share from 47.85 per cent in 2012 to 49.1 per cent in 2017 elections, while people rejected the previous governments in other states. He said the state’s budget size has also increased from Rs.168,838-crore in 2017-18 by Rs.14,828-crore to Rs.183,666-crore in 2018-19, without any overdraft. This includes implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission Report.

Mr. Rupani said that Gujarat leads with Revenue Surplus Budget of Rs.5,947-crore, while most states have revenue deficits, also leads in Domestic Product with minimal fiscal deficit of 1.84 per cent.

Comparing Gujarat’s progress since 1995-96 to 2016-17, he pointed out that agricultural production has increased from Rs.13,492-crore to Rs.137,000-crore, food grain production from 47.74-lakh MT to 74.20-lakh MT, milk from 46.09-lakh MT to 127.84-lakh MT, area under irrigation from 35-lakh ha to 71.5-lakh ha, industrial output from Rs.84.808-crore to Rs.12,70,125-crore, number of universities from 7 (seven) to 61, medical seats from 852 to 3,220. The area under cultivation increased from 104.97-lakh ha in 2000-01 to 124.63 lakh ha in 2016-17.

While Gujarat has 5 (five) per cent of India’s population, he said that Gujarat contributes to 7.6 per cent of Indian economy. In absolute terms, Gujarat’s SGDPwas estimated to be Rs.10.25-lakh-crore in National GDP of Rs.137.64-lakh-crore in 2015-16, which is estimated to have increased to Rs.11.58-lakh-crore in Rs.152.54-lakh-crore in 2016-17. This comes to about7.6 per cent of total.

While India’s GDP Growth Rate was estimated to be 7.1 per cent in 2016-17, that of Gujarat was 10.0 per cent. India’s Per Capita Income was Rs.103,870 in 2016-17, while that of Gujarat Rs.156,697 – almost 50 per cent higher.

Mr. Rupani spoke on how Gujarat overcame the salinity ingress along 1,600 km coastline, brought 424,000 ha additional land under irrigation by constructing 1.68-lakh check dams and digging up 27,000 farm ponds, another 373,000 ha to be brought under irrigation through the 12 projects as part of SAUNI lift irrigation. Gujarat leads in India in micro irrigation on 15.84-lakh ha through drip and sprinkler benefiting 10-lakh farmers.

Giving crop-wise statistics, he said groundnut production increased from 10.32-lakh MT in 1995-96 to 32.06 lakh MT in 2017-18, raw cotton 24.8-lakh bales to 127.5-lakh bales, food grains from 47.74 lakh MT to 66.88 lakh MT, wheat from 12.32 lakh MT to 30.40 lakh MT, paddy from 10.93 lakh MT to 17.62 lakh MT, oilseeds 22.12 lakh MT to 49.32 lakh MT, fruits 21.29-lakh MT to 89.53 lakh MT and vegetables from 20.89 lakh MT to 131.61 lakh MT. Gujarat is the largest producer of tomato, onion, potato in India.

As to industrial production, Mr. Rupani said that Gujarat is establishing itself as Global Gateway of India, being recognized as the world’s best investment hub, thanks to steps initiated after 2001. As per Annual Survey of Industries, Gujarat’s share increased from Rs.12.31-lakh-crore in 2014-15 to Rs.12.70-lakh-crore in 2014-15, refuting charges of slowdown in the state. As per Net Value Addition, Net Income increased from Rs.1.28-crore to Rs.1.70-lakh-crore, registering a growth of Rs.32.12 per cent.

Quoting statistics from National Council for Applied Research, he said Gujarat ranked first in Investment Potential Index. The state received USD 16.65 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), equivalent to Rs.115,000-crore. The FDI in Gujarat has gone up almost by four-times between year 2013-14 and 2016-17. Due to industrial friendly policy, we were able to place Gujarat at par with developed regions in India and world. Gujarat has implemented as many as 23 effective policies. Gujarat is policy driven state.

Referring to giant stride in industrial field, Mr. Rupani said Rs.843-crore has been allocated to MSME sector with emphasis on plants and machinery for investment up to Rs.50-lakh, Rs.2-crore and Rs.10-crore. This amounts to about 22.7 per cent investment in private corporate sector. Gujarat’soutput in dairy sector increased by 23 per cent.

In a shift in employment policy, he said the government is helping youth to be job-giver from job-seeker. While the Congress governments used to give unemployment allowance creating a large army of unemployed, Gujarat provided government jobs to 80,000 since 2002. Jobs were provided to through Employment Exchange to 37,000 in 1995-96. This number increased to 3,60,000 in 2016-17.

As per Employment Exchange Register, Gujarat has the least unemployed force 9 (nine) out of 1,000, as against Maharashtra 21, West Bengal 49, Uttar Pradesh 74 and Ke.rala 125. In absolute terms, it is Gujarat 5.30-lakh, Maharashtra 38.21-lakh, West Bengal 76.72-lakh, Kerala 37.32-lakh and Uttar Pradesh 65.56-lakh.

Under the Mudra Yojna, for the self-employment over Rs. 6,949-crore were distributed as loan to 10-lakh youths through banks. So far, Rs. 20,165-crore were given as loans to 31.10 youths.

He said the government is for the poor: 38 GaribKalyanMelas (Poor’s welfare fairs): 15.57 lakh beneficiaries: assistance of Rs. 3633-Crore: So far, 1491 GaribKalyanMelas were held in 10 stages: 134.36 lakh beneficiaries: assistance of Rs. 23,890-Crore.

The Government has taken care of poor by providing them wheat and rice at the rates of Rs. 2 and 3 per kg, respectively. Under the ‘ShrmikAnnpurnaYojna’ more than 25,000 labourers were being provided meals at a cost of Rs. 10/- in eight cities. Under the ‘MaaAmrutam’ and ‘MaaVatsalya’ schemes, the annual income limit was raised from Rs. 1.20 lakh to Rs. 2.50 lakh for the cashless health facilities of up to Rs. 2-lakh.

156 generic medical stores: 14-lakh beneficiaries received generic medicines worth of Rs. 85-Crore. 12.88 lakh people were benefited under the Pradhan MantriUjjwalaYojna. Last year, 365 lakh people were given food-grains at the cheaper rates.

This government is for the deprived and downtrodden: To extend the benefits of all the welfare schemes for scheduled castes, the income limits in rural and urban areas have been raised from Rs. 47,000 to Rs. 120,000 and from Rs. 68,000 to Rs. 150,000, respectively. The government has built ‘Samrash Hostels’ for the students of the scheduled castes.

This government is dedicated to the development of ‘Vanbandhus.’In last five years, under the ‘VanbandhuKalyan Scheme’, the government has spent Rs. 38,231-crore for various developmental works for the tribal. For the year 2017-18, the government has allocated handsome amount of Rs. 12,559-crore for the development of the tribal.

The government is taking care of everybody’s health: The institutional delivery ratio, which was just 36% in the year 1995-96, has been risen to 98.9% in the year 2017-18. The number of Community Health Centre, which was just 185 in the year 1995-96, has crossed the mark of 364, now. The primary health centers, which were earlier just 357, have now increased to 1,373 in the state.

The health of as many as 150-lakh students was checked-up under the School Health Programme. As many as 11,910 students were given super specialty treatments for the ailments like heart attack, cancer, bone-marrow transplant, kidney transplant and others. Over 1.27 crore women were examined for the breast-cancer.

Water scarcity is now history in Gujarat:In comparison to the previous years’, the demand for the irrigation waters has gone up. However, despite of less availability of the waters during this year, with disciplined and rational usages the farmers were being given waters as per their demands for the kharif and ravi crops seasons. And it will continue till March 15.

With the stringent implementation of the prohibition act, the ratio of its violation has been cut-down by 47%. As many as 36,598 vehicles involved in the crime of transportation of liquor were confiscated.

The Chief Minister said, “I am thankful to the Governor for praising the developmental yatra of Gujarat government by including all the developmental works done by my government.”

The Chief Minister also apprised the members that Gujarat is number one in average growth rate, resolving citizens’ problems through ‘SevaSetu’, generation of solar energy, MSME, distributions of LED Bulbs, fans, tube-lights, farm produces and others fields.

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