Sukhdeep Kaur : Chandigarh, Fri Dec 07 2012, 03:36 hrs
In alphabetical order, Gujarat comes just ahead of Haryana among Indian states. But the lead, claims Haryana, ends there. As Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi trumpets his state as a role model for development during the ongoing poll campaign, Haryana, which is still nursing the wound of Modi’s visit to Japan after labour unrest at its Maruti plant, has painstakingly dug out figures to separate myth from reality.
It was widely perceived that the Congress had refrained from roping in Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for campaigning in neighbouring Himachal. However, the Haryana CM has been asked to pitch in during the fag end of the poll campaign in Gujarat.
“Hooda is slated to come to Gujarat on December 8 and is tentatively scheduled to campaign in Surat. Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan will campaign the same day and will visit Surat and Baroda,” Raju Parmar of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee said.
Hooda’s son, Rohtak MP Deepinder, has brought out a comparison between the two states to contest Modi’s claim of being number one in development. Starting from growth in the Gross State Domestic Product, the comparison cites Planning Commission figures to claim the average for Haryana between 2004-05 and 2010-11 (at 2004-05 constant prices) was 10.1 per cent, higher than Gujarat’s 6.3 per cent. Even in terms of per capita income, Gujarat (Rs 75,115) trails Haryana (Rs 94,680), which also registered a higher agriculture and industrial growth rate. Citing a CMIE report, it says Haryana ranks first in per capita investment and Gujarat fourth. In the United Nations human development index, Haryana stands fifth and Gujarat 10th. The comparison moves to sugarcane prices for farmers — Rs 231 per qunital in Haryana, Rs 180-220 in Gujarat. And primary schools exist in a radius of 0.98 km in Haryana, against 2 km in Gujarat.
While malnutrition in Modi’s own words was Gujarat’s bane, Haryana compares medals won by Gujarat and Haryana athletes at the 2010 Asian Games. Deepender Hooda says the comparison has been done by his office to bust myths about Gujarat created by Modi.
Deepender Finds
6.3%, 10.1% Gujarat behind Haryana on GSDP growth, 2004-05 (base figure) to 2010-11
Rs 94,680 Per capita income in Haryana, against Gujarat’s Rs 75,115
1st, 4th Haryana and Guajrat’s ranks in per capita investment
1st, 10th Comparison on human development index (United Nations)
2 km Between schools in Gujarat; Haryana has a school every 0.98 km
21 of 64 Haryana athletes’ medals in Asian Games; Gujarat’s won 9
