Centre dislikes Gujarat’s progress: Modi

RAJKOT: Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday criticised the Centre’s “anti-Gujarat” policies and said the UPA government “disliked” his state’s progress.

“The Congress-led UPA government dislikes the state’s progress and is making every possible attempt to create hurdles for development,” Modi told a gathering at the Race Course ground here.

The state government has demanded 2.75 lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser for the state’s farmers for their winter crops in September, but only 30 per cent of the demand was met. The season is coming to an end in a next few days, he said, criticising the Centre’s attitude.

Modi claimed the state’s agriculture income was Rs 9,000 crore in the past but touched Rs 34,000 crore after the Jyotigram Scheme, under which villages get electricity round-the-clock, was implemented.

The state faced a power crisis after the Central government diverted 200 MW of power from Gujarat’s quota to other states, Modi alleged.

Modi felicitated sarpanches of Saurashtra and Kutch region who were elected under the state government’s ‘samras’ scheme.

According to officials, 1,477 Gram Panchayats in 28 villages in the region accepted the scheme and elected village heads unanimously, and 41 per cent of them were women.