Montek pulls up Narendra Modi’s Gujarat for performance in social sector

NEW DELHI: Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has pulled up Gujarat for dismal performance of the state across several social sectors, including child-sex ratio, infant mortality rate and nutrition, bringing the spotlight on a state often touted as a model for growth.

"Gujarat's performance in the social sector lags behind what could be expected from a high-growth state. Of particular concern in this context was the level of child sex ratio, mortality rate and malnutrition," Ahluwalia said after a meeting with state chief minister Narendra Modi here on Tuesday.

The Commission also approved a plan size of Rs 59,000 crore for the state, against the budgeted Rs 58,500 crore. At the nearly two-hour long meeting at Yojana Bhawan, Modi and his officials sought greater flexibility for the state in implementation of development schemes, as well as availability of cheap gas and coal.

According to a senior official present at the meeting, while Modi and his team assured the Plan panel of their efforts to improve social sector development, the CM countered Montek's remark saying, "Officials of Gujarat have questioned the data sources, which are projecting bad performance of the state on social sectors, including the data released by the human resource development ministry."

A Planning Commission official said that Montek has assured Gujarat that the panel will take up the issue with the concerned ministry. "Besides, BK Chaturvedi, member of Planning Commission, has also suggested that the state should itself conduct studies on its performance," he added.


According to the official, like many other states, Modi demanded greater flexibility to states in implementing centrally sponsored schemes. "The Cabinet will take up the restructuring of centrally sponsored schemes on Wednesday, and if approved, it will give lot of flexibility to states with less strict guidelines as existing today," the same official said, adding that Modi has also been seeking coal and gas for the state at domestic prices. The Rs 59,000 crore that have been approved for 2013-14 includes the central assistance of Rs 3,979 crore and Rs 6,000 crore that will go to the state via centrally sponsored schemes.

An Unusual Meet in Every Sense

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Tuesday to get the annual state plan approved was unusual in more ways than one.

Toeing the line of Tamil Nadu, even Modi’s security had restricted the entry of PIB accredited journalists in Yojana Bhawan for nearly four hours with Planning Commission conveniently heading to their unwarranted demand.

For the first time, Varad Pande, who is an OSD of rural development ministry and is believed to be part of the Congress war team, attended the annual state plan meet while the Planning Commission member Saumitra Chaudhury, who is in charge of the state himself prepared the press release for the meeting to ensure that there are absolutely no mistakes.

Tuesday’s meeting, which was Modi’s first visit to Delhi after his elevation within the party, also saw the once outspoken chief minister sitting virtually quiet throughout the meeting except on two instances where he accused the Centre of legislating the policies themselves and forcing states to implement them.

“I legislate, you implement’ is what Modi is believed to have said. Besides, reiterating the state’s policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ Modi emphasised that the state would spend 42% of their total expenditure on social sectors this year.