Gujarat Govt defends its "model" Budget, Cong not impressed

The Gujarat Government today strongly defended its Budget for 2013-14, terming it as a "model" one and a "catalyst for all-round development" in the state, while Opposition Congress criticised "insufficient" provisions for the social sector.
Speaking in the Assembly on the second day of general discussions on Budget, Saurabh Patel, Minister of State for Industry, while criticising the Centre for "discriminating" against Gujarat over financial allocations, claimed the Budget reflects "good governance" in the BJP-ruled State.
Citing scores of data and figures, Patel highlighted growth in agriculture, Gujarat's share in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provisions in consolidated sinking fund, capital expenditure, revenue surplus and public borrowing.

"The model Budget is an example of a catalyst for all-round development," he said.
"The Central Government borrowed our Budget's idea of skill development and has proposed Rs 1,000 crore for it. The idea was mooted by Chief Minister Narendra Modi."
Slamming the Congress-led UPA Government, Patel said "in matters of crude oil royalty, natural gas or share in the tax income, the Central Government has always treated Gujarat with discrimination."

Because of "people-centric" budgetary allocations, Gujarat has attained an average 10.5 per cent growth rate from 2001 to 2011 where as during that time national average was just 3.2 per cent, the Minister said.

He defended Gujarat's public debt of Rs 1.33 lakh crore, saying "only a stable and strong state can be eligible for debt and our debt is within the healthy limit. Our debt is only 19.93 per cent of Gujarat State Domestic Product (GSDP) against the advised limit of 27 per cent."
Earlier, Congress members slammed the State Government for "totally ignoring social sector and making insufficient provisions for education, agriculture, irrigation and drinking water" in the Budget.