Anandiben takes a dig at PAAS leaders

Correspondent, Gandhinagar

Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today took a dig at the Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) leaders while announcing an ambitious educational benefit and age relaxation scheme for economically weaker section of non-reserved category with a maximum family income up to 4.5 lakh per year in Gujarat which is likely to give an annual burden of Rs 1000 crore initially.

Mrs. Patel announced the scheme which gives five years of age relaxation in government jobs in the state and provided for many fee relaxation and assistance in presence of her cabinet colleagues, ruling party MPs, MLAs and chairpersons of various boards and corporations.

On the occasion she took a jibe at the PAAS agitation hinting at the fact that not enough people from the Patel or Patidar community, to which she also belonged, were in fact applying for government jobs in the state.

“In last two to two and a half month every one including me were troubled. It was natural too as the agitation was in the hands of such people. But God as former CM Narendrabhai used to say is with Gujarat. He has helped us with rain at the fag end of the monsoon and now the agitators have himself reached court. We did not have to do anything. We have not done any wrong either. We had advertised for the 8,500 vacant posts of constables almost a year ago but those who are running agitation should know that only 1.5 percent of the applications were from the community. One should not expect SP’s job directly. Only white collar jobs were not an answer to problem of unemployment. Gujarat is on the top position for past 10 to 12 years in providing job through its employment exchanges with around 70 percent figure. The state has become a role model with a hard labour of 15 years and with the stable government. Its progress should not be hampered,” she said.

The Chief Minister said that her government would ensure that no meritorious student of any category is deprived of his educational rights.

Apart from the fee assistance for Medical, Engineering and other stream students and other benefits like free text books, dresses, one time assistance and fooding and lodging help the CM also announced to increase the number of seats in various medical colleges by over 1,000 in the coming years.

She lamented the fact that there were dearth of doctors in rural areas and said that the government was ready to increase its share in the education if it helps in taking care of this problem.

On the occasion she also informed with statistics that in last 15 years the number of seats in medical colleges in Gujarat has increased by 403 % while that in Engineering colleges has gone up by 551% .

She also exhorted the people in the state to inspire more and more students at high school level to take science stream to effectively deal with the problem of unemployment. She also instructed the related authorities to give skill training to all the students in the school premises during no school hours.

– DeshGujarat