The Government of Gujarat on Tuesday challenged UPA Government to declare a comparative chart of Central assistance to the Congress-led and Opposition-ruled states.
Reacting to the remarks made by Ahmed Patel, political secretary to congress president Sonia Gandhi, on funds granted by Centre to Gujarat, the Modi government today stated that the chart will "unmask" the Congress' step-motherly treatment towards the non-Congress governed states.
After filing nomination for Rajya Sabha in Gandhinagar yesterday, Patel credited development in Gujarat to Centre's grants.
"Much of the development here is due to Central grants. Gujarat is burdened by a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and all development the cities like Ahmdabad, Rajkot and Surat have seen are thanks to Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Rural Mission," he added.
"Patel's allegations about the funds granted to Gujarat are not only far from truth but also reflect the Congressmen's frustration at the state's unprecedented growth and contribution to the nation's economy under the leadership of chief minister Narendra Modi during the last decade. Instead of encouraging Gujarat's fiscal discipline, praising its achievements and emulating its development model, the Congressmen including Ahmed Patel are trying to misguide the people with misleading statements just to malign Gujarat," the state government spokespersons Jay Narayan Vyas and Saurabh Patel today said in an official statement.
As per the official statistics, the ministers said, it is in everybody's knowledge that the debt of other states are far more than Gujarat.
As per the figures provided by the ministers, the list is being led by Maharashtra Rs 1.74 lakh crore, West Bengal Rs 1.72 lakh crore, Uttar Pradesh Rs 1.51 lakh crore and Andhra Pradesh Rs 1.12 lakh crore, as against Gujarat's Rs 1.11 lakh crore.
"While the Gujarat contributes to the treasury of the state and nation in the most transparent manner as its achievements also come in for global praise, the UPA Government is indulging in corrupt practices instead of utilizing the people's money in development works," they said.
The ministers regretted most that even Gujarat's representatives like Ahmed Patel were bent on falsely maligning the state, indirectly harming the state's progress.
