Narendra Modi's vision document for Gujarat: Super speciality hospitals, pucca houses

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the state elections, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled BJP's manifesto, expressing hope that people give the party another chance to develop the state. Promising that the state will achieve 'new heights' with the implementation of this manifesto, Modi said that it will help raise belief in the people of the state.

Lauding the development of the state, Modi said that having come out of poverty, many people have become Gujarat's 'new middle class'.

He stated the intention to double power generation and provide clean water in every household. Modi also promised 50 lakh 'pucca; houses as opposed to 22 lakh pucca houses last time. His 'vision document' for Gujarat also includes building super speciality hospitals in Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot.

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In the manifesto, Modi has promised to define a new category of "neo-middle class," those who have grown above the poverty line but still do not come in the category of middle class.
According to Modi, the biggest plus point of Gujarat has been its plans on Grameen Yojgaar. In the next five years, Modi plans to make Gujarat the leading textile producer in the country. He also wants to focus on production of milk.

Stating that every party talks about the development of youth, Modi said that his party's plan centers around 'youth led development'. "Gujarat has seen development because of the various plans we've executed, we have now mastered how to get work done," he said.

Modi went on to say that if the country wants to compete with top nations, importance has to be given to skill, speed and scale. "Gujarat is the first state to plan out a skill development institute."

"The government plans to share the interest burden of farmer loans. Gujarat has taken responsibilities for farmer upliftment. The technology that farmers need to increase agricultural production has been laid down." he added. Modi said that Gujarat would promote agricultural technology to its optimum.

Seemingly to counter the Congress' poll promises of providing clothes and houses at an affordable rate to rural and urban poor respectively, the BJP manifesto promises to construct 50 lakh new houses in the next five years.

Congress' promised scheme of low-cost housing had gained huge response from the people and thousands had queued up in urban and rural areas to get the forms distributed by the party.

However, when asked if his manifesto promise of making 50 lakh houses was in reply to the opposition party's scheme, Modi said many parties like Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and JD (U) have also released their manifestoes.

"Before the last elections, we had promised 20 lakh houses and before this polls, we are promising 50 lakh houses," he said.