Trying to be in tune with his anticipated national role, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Planning Commission of deviating from its principle role, while claiming that the Congress-led UPA government’s approach of “I (Centre) legislate, you (states) implement” is proving counter-productive. However, countering the high profile chief minister, the Planning Commission during the meeting to finalise the state plan outlay for 2013-14 tried to corner him by noting that a developed state like Gujarat needed more to do on social sector to make growth “inclusive”.
Referring to the Centre’s plan to bring in NCTC during his meeting with Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the chief minister is learnt to have mentioned that of late the Centre has adopted a policy of “I legislate, you implement”, which is hampering the overall well-being of the country. He is also learnt to have accused the Plan panel of deviating from its “principle role” of advising states in different sectors and instead behaving like a “big brother”.
Interestingly, for the first time in the last 12 years since he became the chief minister of the state, Mr Modi allowed his officials to respond to the suggestions and queries raised by the members and officials of the Planning Commission during the meeting, where a Plan size of `59,000 crores was agreed upon.
After the meeting, while expressing his satisfaction over the Plan outlay, Mr Modi said, “Originally, we had thought about a Plan size of `58,500 crores (for 2013-14). But Planning Commission thinks that Gujarat is more capable, it should grow more so it has approved `59,000 crores.”
According to an official release issued by the Plan panel, the total outlay also includes Central assistance of `3,979 crores and `6,000 crores for Centrally-sponsored schemes during the year. Dr Ahluwalia on his part told mediapersons in presence of Mr Modi that Gujarat needs to do more in social sectors. “(There was) A lot of discussion on the social sector. I think generally it has been our view that Gujarat needs, in order to bring its social sector performance up to the economic size, to have some special attention to this area,” he remarked after the meeting.
When his turn came, Mr Modi retorted back saying the state spends 42 per cent of its budget on social sector with a moto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. He said, “The funds would help uplift all sections of the society including Scheduled Caste, down-trodden, exploited and tribal. We want to have all the sections of the society to get the benefits of growth.”