Gujarat not on list of states to get awards for implementing PM Narendra Modi's pet projects

NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat scored a blank in the Prime Minister’s awards given away to the best districts implementing the government’s four priority programmes, as did two other big BJP ruled states, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, while Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh figured among the winners.

Andhra Pradesh, ruled by the BJP’s ally TDP, also won an award, along with Congress-ruled Assam and Himachal Pradesh, and TMC ruled West Bengal.
Five of Gujarat’s districts – Bansakantha , Chhota Udaipur, Dwarka, Narmada and Surat — made it to the shortlist of 17 best districts for the Soil Health Card Scheme, but Bilaspur of Chhattisgarh walked away with the honours presented on Thursday.

None of Gujarat’s districts could make it to the shortlist for Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin or Swachh Vidyalaya awards. In all, 74 districts were shortlisted for the four awards and 10 winners were announced.

“Only 74 districts, just 10% of all, got shortlisted. The awards were selected not as earlier… we know bureaucrats are good at making reports that could influence the jury. But we made thousands of calls to check from people, if the scheme had worked on the ground,” Prime Minister Modi said.

“Field visits were done by central officials. The award winners have come through lot of competition,” he said. ET was the first to report earlier this month that 7.62 lakh calls were made by the Centre to people for feedback on scheme implementation.