Hooda compares Haryana and Gujarat in poll campaign

Ahmedabad, 13 December 2012

Haryana Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda today sought to know the reason why Diesel and Petrol are far more costly in Gujarat than in Haryana despite it being on the coastline. Diesel and Petrol prices are Rs 7 and Rs 3 respectively higher in Gujarat than Haryana. Gujarat people pay Rs 52.46 for Diesel and Rs 70.92 for Petrol, whereas it is Rs 45.54 and 67.85 respectively in Haryana.

Addressing a series of election meetings in Abdasa, Bhuj, Gandhi Dham and Mandvi assembly segments of Kuchh region of Gujarat in favour of Congress candidates Mr Chhabildas Naranbhai Patel, Mr Amir Alibhai Lodhia, Mrs Jayshreeben Ajitbhai Chavda and Mr Kishorsinh R. Parmar today, Mr Hooda charged BJP of shying away from the debate on development and real public issues. He said that Haryana charges 9.24 per cent VAT on Diesel, whereas it is 26 per cent in Gujarat, which reflects the difference in approach of Congress and BJP.

Mr Hooda said that Haryana is providing cheaper power to its people despite it being far off from the coal mines and seashore. Haryana charges only 25 paise per unit for power for the tube wells, whereas the Gujarat Government charges Rs 5.5 per unit. Similarly, Industries in Haryana get power at Rs 4.70 per unit whereas their counterparts in Gujarat get the power at Rs 6.50 per unit. He said that during the last seven years of Congress Government, Haryana has moved far ahead of Gujarat in all spheres of development, whereas previously the state of Gujarat had been ahead of Haryana. There is not a single field in which Gujarat is ahead of Haryana, but BJP is deliberately trying to avert the public attention from such issues, he added.

While citing the official figures of Planning Commission and Gujarat Government, Mr Hooda said that Haryana Government was charging lesser taxes than Gujarat but providing far more facilities and allowances to its people. He said that the so called development of Gujarat is nowhere visible on the ground nor is corroborated by the latest report of Planning Commission. He reiterated that Haryana developed at the fast pace of 19.5 per cent during the last five years whereas Gujarat could not surpass 16 per cent. The huge public attendance in the Congress rallies is an indication that the people have made up their mind to support Congress party, he added.

Mr Hooda said that small state of Haryana has already provided 100 square yard plots free of cost to 3.88 lakh Scheduled Castes(SC), Backward Classes(BC) and Below Poverty Line(BPL) families but on other side the people of Gujarat were not provided a single such plot by its state government. Haryana Government has been providing monthly scholarship ranging from Rs 75 to Rs 400 to 19.70 lakh school students belonging to SC, BC and BPL families, whereas no such facility is available in Gujarat. Similarly, all 9.95 lakh Scheduled Castes families in Haryana have been provided free water connections along with water tank and tap, but there is no such scheme in Gujarat, he added.

Mr Hooda said that Haryana is also ahead in industrial production as it produces 52 per cent cars of the country, 41 per cent Motor Cycles, 80 per cent Cranes of our national production. In the matter of per capita investment, Haryana today is in number one position, whereas it was at 14thplace in 2005.

While comparing Gujarat and Haryana, Mr Hooda said, “In per capita income also, Haryana is ahead of other states, except small state of Goa, whereas Gujarat is at number six”. Per capita Plan Budget in Haryana is also higher than Gujarat that is Rs.10,446 in Haryana and Rs 8,380 in Gujarat, which means that the Haryana Government spends more for its people, he added. Haryana is the second largest contributor of foodgrains to the Central Pool, it is also number one in wheat productivity. In milk production, per capita consumption in Haryana is 708 grams per day as against 435 grams in Gujarat.

Mr Hooda said that in social sector also, Haryana is ahead in the country. Haryana is a much smaller state than Gujarat, but it gives far more old age pension and widow pension to far more beneficiaries. Haryana Government provides Rs 500 and Rs 700 per month as old age pension to 12.86 lakh senior citizens whereas the Gujarat government provides only Rs 400 to only 7.21 lakh people. In Haryana a freedom fighter gets Rs.20,000 pension per month as against Rs.6,000 in Gujarat, he added.