Gujarat’s development journey has received tremendous praise both across India and the world. Under Narendra Modi’s leadership Gujarat was known for its development oriented governance where the people were made active partners and stakeholders in the development journey. When Narendra Modi took over as the Chief Minister Gujarat was reeling under the effects of a devastating Earthquake. The drought, cyclone and floods on the preceding years too slowed the development journey. Everyone thought the damage in Gujarat would take years to be undone but Narendra Modi and his team proved everyone wrong by putting Gujarat on the path to recovery and development in a record time of under three years.
The entire world talks about the Gujarat Model of Development. This is a Model that celebrates the collective efforts of the people of Gujarat. Gujarat’s development journey is characterized as development oriented, inclusive and participative. Decisions were not taken behind closed doors by select individuals but were taken after consulting all the stakeholders. Optimum use of technology was made to minimize corruption increase the pace of development.
Another special facet of the development of Gujarat is that it is not centered around any one sector. All the three sectors namely agriculture, industries and services made and equal and active contribution towards the growth of Gujarat.
Under Narendra Modi, the farmers of Gujarat witnessed unprecedented prosperity. The annual Krishi Mahotsavs brought several services and opportunities at the doorstep of the farmers. The farmers received Soil Health Cards that gave them much needed guidance on enhancing their productivity. Special attention was also devoted to animal husbandry.
Industrial development scaled new heights in Gujarat since 2001. In 2003 the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Summits began that drew record investment to the state. At the same time, the land acquisition policy put in place by the Government ensures no injustice is done to the people where the industry is coming up.
Narendra Modi devoted special attention towards the healthcare and education sector. Since 2004 the Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Drive are undertaken by every Government official including the Chief Minister went to the villages of Gujarat asking parents to send their children to school. This has received phenomenal results as the school dropout ratios have dropped considerably since the time when Narendra Modi took office.
Governance in Gujarat has reached the very last person in the queue. Due to the Garib Kalyan Melas, the fruits of development reach the intended beneficiaries without any middlemen. In 2008 the Gujarat Government launched the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana, a special package devoted to development of the tribal communities. Today the package is worth Rs. 40,000 crore and has brought smiles on the faces of several people across Gujarat.
A firm believer in youth-led development, Narendra Modi devoted a lot of efforts towards enhancing skill development among the youth. From building more ITIs, upgrading syllabus and infrastructure in the ITIs to integrating skill development programmes with technology, record number of steps have been taken for skill development among Gujarat’s youth. Infact, Gujarat’s Kaushalya Vardhan Kendras were awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2013.
Over the years, Gujarat has won several awards from the Central Government, International Bodies, reputed think tanks and the UN.
Here we present some aspects that take you through the unprecedented and inclusive development in Gujarat under Narendra Modi