Saturday 9 November 2013

Narendra Modi-led Gujarat is among the states that have performed the best on this indicator

UPA rule sees inequality rising in 70% states

Narendra Modi-led Gujarat is among the states that have performed the best on this indicator

November 6, 2013 Last Updated at 00:50 IST

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government might take the credit for the steepest decline in poverty during its regime but what could puncture some of this is the increase in inequality during this period. The Latest data obtained by Business Standard show, between 2004-05 and 2011-12, inequality increased in at least two-thirds of the country's 29 regions.

During this period, the poverty rate - the share of those living below the poverty line in the country's total population - declined to 21.9 per cent at the end of March 2012, down 15.3 percentage points from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05. But, inequality, computed in terms of the Gini coefficient, rose during the same period - from 0.27 to 0.28 in rural areas and from 0.35 to 0.37 in urban areas.

The coefficient ranges from zero to one, with zero representing perfect equality and one showing perfect inequality. So, higher is the coefficient, the more is inequality. And, this trend was seen in 21 of the states. (THE RICH-POOR DIVIDE)

Business Standard obtained these data in reply to one of its questions filed with the government under the Right to Information Act. Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion and has been derived from the National Sample Survey Organisation data on household consumption expenditure for 2011-12.

The data show that the rich-poor gap in 2011-12 was the widest ever in urban areas and at the highest level since 1993-94 in rural parts.

"If the Gini coefficient is rising, a poverty rate decline in the country is doubtful," said S R Hashim, former Planning Commission member. He said the index was a clear indicator that the rich were getting richer and the poor poorer. He added the estimation of poverty had become a complex phenomenon and needed to be looked at.

In urban parts of as many as seven states - Karnataka (0.41), Uttar Pradesh (0.40), Kerala (0.39), Chhattisgarh (0.39), Haryana (0.38), West Bengal (0.38) and Delhi (0.37) - the inequality level was more than even the national-level index. Of these, in 2004-05, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh had inequality levels below the all-India level.

In that year, inequality in both rural and urban Delhi was less than the national level. The inequality level rose in both urban and rural parts in 14 of the 29 regions, including Delhi, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - four of the five places going for Assembly polls in November and December.

Gujarat - tagged one of the "less developing" states by a new development index suggested by a panel headed by (now RBI Governor) Raghuram Rajan - was one of the states that performed the best on this indicator. The Narendra Modi-led state was among the three (Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim being the other two) where the rich-poor gap shrank in both urban and rural areas.

However, Pronab Sen, chairman of the National Statistical Commission, said: "The coefficient is a measure of overall distribution but is also a relative index, unlike poverty. As a statistician, it matters less to me than the poverty numbers." He said this might be a result of rapid increase in overall income leading to rich getting richer, poor also gaining but the middle class losing out or remaining stagnant.

In rural areas, only three places have more inequality than the national number, including Kerala and Delhi, where the index stood at 0.38 and 0.35, respectively. Joining them in the list was Arunachal Pradesh (0.33). All of these states have entered the fray only in 2011-12.

In the states where inequality came down in 2011-12, the poverty rates also declined between 2004-05 and 2011-12. The rich-poor divide was the most evident in urban Karnataka and rural Kerala.

BALANCING ACT GONE AWRY?

* Wide divide: The rural-urban gap in 2011-12 was the widest ever. Of the 29 regions, inequality rose in rural areas in 21 and in urban parts in 20

* Worst show: During the year, the level of inequality was the highest in Karnataka's urban parts and rural areas of Kerala

* Best performers: Gujarat, Andhra and Sikkim were the only three states where inequality declined in both villages and cities

* Poll-bound states: Of the total, inequality in both villages and cities rose in 14 states, including poll-bound Delhi, Rajasthan, MP and Mizoram

* Direct correlation: The states where inequality fell also saw poverty rates declining between 2004-05 and 2011-12

* Urban phenomenon: Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Odisha, Maharashtra and West Bengal were the states where inequality rose in cities but not in villages

* Uneven villages: Bihar, Goa, Meghalaya, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Tripura were the states where the rich-poor gap widened in rural parts but not urban areas

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/upa-rule-sees-inequality-rising-in-70-states-113110600030_1.html

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Gujarat Ministers question attempts of Congress to spread misinformation about Gujarat’s development

Does Congress ruled Delhi Sultanate not consider Gujarat to be a part of India?

Instead of accepting the contribution of Gujarat in the development of India, why is the Centre treating Gujarat like an enemy?

Gujarat Ministers question the misinformation spread by Congress on the development of Gujarat

Does Delhi Sultanate of UPA not consider Gujarat to be a part of India?

Instead of accepting the contribution of Gujarat in the development of India, why is UPA treating Gujarat like an enemy state?

After keeping the nation under darkness for 60 years, Congress has no right to speak about education

After giving the slogan of Garibi Hatao to winning power, Congress is getting impatient over giving a food security bill! Such a party has no right to speak about the poor

Lakhs of tonnes of grains are rotting in FCI godowns. Despite orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court to give the grains to the poor, the Centre gave the grains to alcohol manufacturers. Such a party has no right to speak about mid-day meals

Just recently Gujarat won the Prime Minister’s Award for its initiatives in Skill Development. It has won several national and international awards as well. Silence of Shri Ajay Maken and the Congress on this is an attempt to mislead the nation

Congress spokespersons are making a determined effort to paint an incorrect and negative picture of Gujarat’s development journey. Such was the mess created by 45 years of Congress rule in Gujarat that it took a long time for the BJP government to fill the ditches. Rather than accepting their own mistakes and misgovernance in Gujarat, the Congress spokespersons are blaming the BJP government, under whom unprecedented development has taken place in Gujarat during the last decade.
Due to hardwork and efforts of the Gujarat Government in the last 12 years, school enrollment in Gujarat stands at a commendable 99.25%. At the same time, dropout rate for Class VII has dropped from 37% to 7% and for Class V the dropout rate is only 2%.
Due to the Kanya Kelavani drive of the state government female literacy in Gujarat stood at 71% in 2011 as opposed to 58% in 2001. This is an improvement of 13%. During the same period, female literacy rate in India has risen from 54% to 65%.
According to Shri Ajay Maken, the number of universities in the nation under the UPA have increased from 17 to 44 but in the last ten years the number of universities in Gujarat have increased from 11 to 42.
Gujarat has made immense strides in tourism. What did not happen during 45 years of Congress rule in Gujarat has happened in the last ten years.
Due to the importance given to the tourism sector Gujarat has drawn tourists from all over the world.
Before stating facts about Gujarat’s progress on tourism, Mr. Maken should have asked his own Government’s departments. As recently as February 2013, the tourism ministry of the Government of India gave as many as 3 awards to Gujarat in tourism. This includes awards for best marketing, usage of technology to promote tourism. Prior to that, PATA has also awarded Gujarat tourism for their campaign to promote tourism.
The statistics shared by Mr. Maken are absolutely incorrect and misleading. As per a report of the Government of India dated March 2013, the number of working days for mid day meals in Gujarat stand around 94-95%. In the same way, in terms of utilization of food grains in Gujarat stands at 87% whereas the national average is 84%. In primary schools, as far as cooking gas facilities, drinking water and technology utilization is concerned the national average is 91% whereas Gujarat’s average is 96%. Before speaking about Gujarat, Mr. Maken should have checked with the report of his own government’s ministry of human resource development.
Gujarat have given great importance to sports in the last decade. In the SGFI games, in 1996-1997 Gujarat won 25 medals and in 1998-1999 26 medals. In contrast, due to efforts such as Khel Mahakumbh, Gujarat has won 154 medals in 2011-12 and 139 medals in 2012-2013.
A team of women athletes who won in the Khel Mahakumbh hail from Sarakhdi village in Junagadh. Due to extensive coaching from the Centre of Excellence, they became the national champions. Similarly the Gujarat Volleyball team has won Bronze Medal at the national level.
Gujarat is a champion in skating, volleyball and Yoga. Gujarat is a champion in Yoga at the international level.
Gujarat has also established a Swarnim Gujarat Sports University which will provide a platform for coaching and training of the sportsmen, the results of which will become evident in the coming years.
Here are some of Gujarat’s sportspersons who have won laurels at the national and international level

In the individual games, Gujarat has champion players at the national level in Swimming, Shooting, Tennis, Table Tennis, Athletics and Billiards.
The Khel Mahakumbh initiated during the Swarnim Jayanti celebrations have instilled an atmosphere of sports in the entire state. In the first year 2010 there were 13.5 lakh participants, in 2011 there were 15 lakh participants and in 2012 there were 17.62 lakh participants.
Additionally special Centres of Excellence have been started for Archery, Kabaddi and Volleyball. Due to coaching being made available in the tribal areas of Gujarat, sportsmen like Dinesh Bhil have become national champions.

For the game of chess, Gujarat has arranged for extensive computerised coaching in 8000 schools. Even today Gujarat holds the Guinness World Record for maximum participants in a game of chess at one place, which is 20017 participants. Similarly, Gujarat holds the Limca Record for the Vivekanandwomens chess event where 34000 women participated.
Gujarat also holds a special Khel Mahakumbh for the specially abled. In 2011, 58000 and in 2012, 98000 specially abled sportsmen participated in it, which is also a world record. Recently, a specially abled sportsperson from Gujarat, Maya Devipujak won at the World Level in Hockey.

Neel Contactor- Winner at the National Junior level in 50, 100 metres free style and back stroke. He also represented India at the Asian Youth Championship.
Anshul Kothari- National Gold Medal winner in 50 metres free style and back stroke
Maana Patel- This 13 year old girl in the Junior Category has broken the national record of 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke in the senior category.
Rahul Choksi- Winner of National Gold Medal in 200m and 400m butterfly.
Shooting- Gujarat’s LajjaGoswami has won the Silver Medal at the recently organised ISSP World Championship and made India proud.
Tennis- AnkitaRainais currently India’s no 1 player and is a member of the Indian team.
Table Tennis-Harmit Desai is a member of India’s national table tennisand a source of pride for Gujarat.
Athletics- Babubhai Panecha is the national champion in the 20kms walk.
Triathlon- Puja Choksi represents India in triathlon.
Billiards- Rupesh Shah is the current world champion in Billiards.

http://www.narendramodi.in/does-congress-ruled-delhi-sultanate-not-consider-gujarat-to-be-a-part-of-india-gujarat-ministers-question-attempts-of-congress-to-spread-misinformation-about-gujarat%E2%80%99s-development/

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Can he be India Reagan?

When it comes to economic policy Modi may be more a pragmatic politician than an ideological purist.

Sadanand Dhume June 21, 2013 | UPDATED 15:51 IST

Is Narendra Modi an economic reformer? As the 2014 election turns into a national referendum on the popular but polarising politician, expect this question to come up again and again, not merely in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, but equally in London, Brussels and Washington.

For India, the stakes could not be higher. In a few short years, a combination of rampant populism, fiscal irresponsibility and capricious regulation has gutted business confidence and made the country look less like an Asian tiger and more like the plodding elephant of old. The boom years of near double-digit growth have begun to fade into distant memory. The rupee seems to flirt with a historic new low each week. And a new generation of would-be software engineers and call centre employees enters the workforce facing the unfamiliar prospect of the past looking rosier than the future.

Sadanand Dhume

But though the middle class has a right to expect an unequivocal response to the question of Modi's reformist credentials, the truth, as with most things in Indian politics, depends on context. In a nutshell, if you compare Modi with his peers in Indian politics, his credentials-in terms of both economic administration and messaging-are second to none. But if you approach comparisons with Ronald Reagan or Margaret Thatcher as a literalist, you're bound to be disappointed.

Modi may be the most business-friendly politician of his generation, and the only post-liberalisation leader who knows how to package an economic message in terms intelligible to the proverbial man on the street. Nonetheless, the Gujarat strongman operates in a country that invented the Licence-Permit Raj, and belongs to a party whose economic philosophy has long been schizophrenic, caught between instinctive liberalisers and traditionalists deeply wary of change. In short, Modi may be the closest thing India has to a Thatcherite, but don't expect him to invoke the Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek at a bjp parliamentary board meeting any time soon.

Take Modi's attitude toward labour reforms, widely regarded by economists as a key bottleneck to the kind of industrial growth that has pulled tens of millions out of poverty in China and Southeast Asia. Rather than oppose the welter of unworkable Central laws bequeathed by Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, which discourage companies from hiring permanent workers by making it virtually impossible to fire them during a downturn, Modi simply wants decision-making power shifted to the states.

Similarly, in principle Modi supports the privatisation of loss-making public sector enterprises by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1998 and 2004. But he also speaks of a so-called "third option" of "professionalising" rather than selling state-owned firms. While discussing the subject in New Delhi in April, Modi was careful to stress that his quest for efficiency should not be construed as a fondness for firing people.

Whose side is he on?

Perhaps most discouraging from an economic liberal's point of view is Modi's failure to effectively denounce the ruling UPA's worst ideas. (Unfortunately, there's plenty to choose from.) On the fiscally ruinous and morally corrupting food security bill-which has the potential to turn India into a land of permanent handouts-he has again ducked behind the devolution argument. Modi calls for the corruption-riddled and labour market distorting National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to be renamed a "development guarantee scheme". But he hasn't demanded that it be scrapped.

Nor has Modi backed the UPA's belated efforts at reform, half-hearted and sputtering though they may be. On foreign investment in multi-brand retail and fuel price rationalisation, he has followed his party's obstructionist playbook rather than take a principled stand in favour of policies that increase consumer choice and reduce the fiscal deficit. Ditto on a proposed unified goods and services tax, which, by some accounts, could do more to boost economic growth than any other single measure.

Step back, however, and this laundry list approach to assessing Modi misses the proverbial forest for the trees. Unlike any of his peers, the heart of Modi's claim to higher office lies in the so-called Gujarat miracle. The state has averaged double-digit growth rates over much of Modi's 11-year rule. With only 5 per cent of India's population, Gujarat accounts for about 1/6th of the country's manufacturing and more than a fifth of its exports. The Economist calls it India's Guangdong.

While it's impossible to quantify Modi's contribution to his state's economic performance, over the years he has earned a reputation for pragmatism and problem-solving. While much of India continues to suffer from potholed roads and daily brownouts, Gujarat offers investors modern highways and a reliable power supply. (The state electricity board made a profit of $105 million in 2011.)

India Inc Vibrant in Gujarat

It's no coincidence that tycoons fall over each other to lavish praise on Modi for running an administration responsive to their needs. In 2008, the Chief Minister famously persuaded Ratan Tata to build the Nano in Sanand. Every two years, Indian and global businesses line up at the Vibrant Gujarat summit to pledge billions of dollars to the state in India's most high-profile investor gathering. Foreign companies thatk have set up shop in Gujarat under Modi, or announced plans to do so, include Abbott, Bombardier, Ford, Peugeot and Suzuki.

In terms of messaging, Modi's speeches mark the most high-profile departure from the usual way in which Indian politicians speak about development. In a nutshell, the Chief Minister wraps a call for economic competitiveness in a broader message of hope, ambition and national pride. (By contrast, Rahul Gandhi's best known economic intervention has been his 2010 scuttling of Vedanta Resources's attempt to mine bauxite for an Odisha alumina refinery by appointing himself a tribal "soldier" in Delhi.)

It's hard to think of any other major Indian politician bluntly declaring that "government has no business doing business", or bemoaning the time, before Nehruvian socialism cut India off from world-class technology, when Ahmedabad's textile mills earned it the sobriquet "Manchester of India". Or publicly declaring India needs "skill, scale and speed" to compete with China. Or that it should emulate nations such as South Korea and Israel that pulled themselves up by the bootstraps to achieve prosperity over the course of a couple of generations.

To sum up, when it comes to economic policy Modi may be more a pragmatic politician than an ideological purist. But in a land whose political discourse remains steeped in socialism, his record in Gujarat and willingness to publicly embrace a reformist message hold out the tantalising prospect of reversing a decade of populist drift.

Sadanand Dhume is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-an-economic-reformer-indian-economy-2014-elections/1/284626.html/1/284626.html

दुनिया के दिग्गज शहरों को भी ‘इसलिए’ टक्कर दे रहा है मोदी का गुजरात...

अहमदाबाद में सफलता की कहानी :
देश के 19 शहरों में बीआरटीएस का प्लान बना, लेकिन आकार सिर्फ 7में ही ले पाया। सबसे सफल हुआ अहमदाबाद में। यहां 2009 में शुरू हुए बीआरटीएस में रोज डेढ़ लाख यात्री सफर करते हैं। सफलता के कारण अब कॉरिडोर की लंबाई 89 से बढ़ाकर 125 किमी की जा रही है।

सफल क्यों -
- जरूरत के हिसाब से लचीलापन। जहां दिक्कत आईं, वहां डिजाइन में बदलाव तुरंत किया।
- कई कॉरिडोर, जो अलग-अलग क्षेत्रों को जोड़ते हैं।
- फ्लाईओवर और अंडरब्रिज भी बने हैं, जो ट्रैफिक कंट्रोल में मददगार।
- पीक टाइम में दो बसों का अंतर ढाई मिनट।
- हरियाली से समझौता, जिससे मुख्य वाहनों की परेशानी कम।

दिल्ली और पुणो में अनुभव खराब :
दिल्ली में वर्ष 2009 में बीआरटीएस शुरू हुआ। छोटे से हिस्से में शुरू होने के कारण असफल। हाईकोर्ट ने भी कॉरिडोर हटाने का आदेश दे दिया।

पुणो - देश में पायलट प्रोजेक्ट के तहत पुणो में 2007 में शुरू हुआ। महज 6 किमी कॉरिडोर बना। लोगों ने इसे नकार दिया है।

फेल क्यों :
कॉरिडोर की कम लंबाई होने के कारण लोग बसों में नहीं बैठे। क्योंकि वे इससे दूर स्थित अपने गंतव्य तक नहीं पहुंच सकते थे। नतीजतन सड़कों पर टू-व्हीलर व कारों की संख्या में कमी नहीं आ पाई और जगह-जगह ट्रैफिक जाम की स्थिति बनने लगी। ऑटोमैटिक बस टिकटिंग, आधुनिक बस स्टॉप, पैडेस्ट्रियन क्रॉसिंग जैसी सुविधाओं की अनदेखी।

मप्र में इस प्रोजेक्ट की अड़चनें :
- यहां नगर निगम ने कोई अलग कंपनी नहीं बनाई। दूसरे विभागों से तालमेल की कमी।
- कई स्थानों पर पार्किग की समस्या।
- मिक्स लेन की चौड़ाई कम। फुटओवर ब्रिज भी महज 16 स्थानों पर, जबकि हर बस स्टॉप पर इसकी जरूरत।
- पुराने शहर में सड़क की चौड़ाई पर्याप्त नहीं है। यहां फ्लाईओवर बनाने चाहिए थे।

विदेशों में कहां सफल...

बोगोटा में ट्रैफिक जाम से राहत:
वर्ष 2000 तक दुनिया में बीआरटीएस कहीं लोकप्रिय नहीं था। तब सिर्फ 16 शहरों में ही था। वर्ष 2000 में बोगोटा(कोलंबिया) में 104 किमी लंबा बीआरटीएस आते ही तेजी से विकास हुआ और ट्रैफिक जाम से राहत मिली। अब यहां एक ही दिशा में एक घंटे में 48 हजार यात्री सफर कर सकते हैं।

सफल क्यों :
हर दो मिनट में बस मिलती है। कॉरिडोर के साइड में ही ऊंची इमारतों का प्रावधान, ताकि ज्यादा लोग बसों का उपयोग कर सकें। पर्याह्रश्वत संख्या में बस स्टॉप। फुटओवर ब्रिज, एसी बसें, ऑटोमैटिक टिकटिंग समेत यात्रियों के लिए ढेरों सुविधाएं।

यहां भी सफल रहा :
पेरिस, चीन, कैम्ब्रिज, क्यूर्टिबा, इस्तांबुल, ग्वांगझू आदि। लैटिन अमेरिकी देशों में ज्यादा लोकप्रिय।

‘अहमदाबाद जन्मार्ग बस रैपिड ट्रांसिट सिस्टम’ का पूरा प्रारूप गुजरात में तैयार होने के बाद इसे केंद्र सरकार को भी भेजा गया था। अहमदाबाद बीआरटीएस के लिए गुजरात को अंतरराष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार भी मिला। गुजरात की मेगा सिटी अहमदाबाद में बीआरटीएस के द्वारा एक जगह से दूसरी जगह जाने के लिए पहले की तरह 40 मिनट के बजाए 11 मिनट में यह दूरी तय की जा सकती है।

अहमदाबाद बीआरटीएस के उद्घाटन अवसर पर मुख्यमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी ने कहा था कि ‘हम इस लिए सफल हुए, क्योंकि हमने दूसरों की गलती से सबक लिया’। सड़क परिवहन की व्यवस्था सुधारने के बाद गुजरात में तो अब जल मार्ग और मेट्रो पर भी काम शुरू हो गया है।

आज के समय में जहा एयरपोर्ट और स्पेशल ट्रेन सेवा के लिए करोड़ों रुपए पानी की तरह बहाए जा रहे हैं, वहीं गुजरात में मॉडर्न पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट पर जोर दिया जा रहा है।

योजना के सफलता का कारण..

अहमदाबाद बीआरटीएस का इस्तेमाल रोज़ तकरीबन 1,00,000 लोग करते हैं।

बीआरटीएस के एक अधिकारी के मुताबिक पेट्रोल की दार में बढ़ोतरी के बाद बीआरटीएस के इस्तेमाल करने वाले कार्ड धारको की संख्या में इजाफा हुआ है। पेट्रोल की कीमतों में बढ़ोतरी के बाद बीआरटीएस में सफर करने वाले लोगो में प्रति दिन 10,000 का इजाफा हुआ है। इससे पहले रोज़ 1,10,000 लोग बीआरटीएस में सफर करते थे। यह संख्या अब 1,50,000 प्रति दिन हो गई है। इसी को ध्यान में रखते हुए किराए में मामूली बढ़ोतरी की गई है।

किस प्रकार से यह कार्य पूरा किया गया..

पहले 3 महीनों के लिए अहमदाबाद नगर निगम ने छात्रों, शिक्षक, पत्रकार और बड़े उद्योगपतिओं को निशुल्क बीआरटीएस पर यात्रा कर सुझाव देने को कहा गया। दिए गए सभी सुझावों को अमल में भी लाया गया। अहमदाबाद बीआरटीएस की सफलता का प्रमाण उसका बनाया गया प्रारूप, फिर चाहे वो बस स्टैंड का शेल्टर हो, सड़क हो, कम्पूटर ट्राफिक कंट्रोल मैनेजमेंट और सिग्नल कण्ट्रोल सिस्टम है।

शहरी परिवहन योजना :

अहमदाबाद में बीआरटीएस का प्रारूप तैयार करने के लिए अर्थशास्त्री, एवं अर्बन प्लानर तथा सीइपीटी विश्विद्यालय में एसोसिएट डायरेक्टर प्रोफ. शिवानन्द स्वामी ने कॉरिडोर और फीडर सेवा का अभ्यास कर बीआरटीएस को डिजाइन किया। बस के लिए अलग लाइन बनाने के साथ ही पैदल चलने वालो के लिए और साइकिल रिक्सा वालों के लिए भी डेडिकेटेड लाइन बनायीं गई हैं।

कॉरिडोर्स :

बीआरटीएस सिस्टम शाखाबध तरीके से काम करता है। जिसके तहत मुख्य सड़क मार्ग के साथ ही कम्प्लिमेंट्री रूट्स और बीआरटीएस फीडर रूट्स भी शामिल हैं।

अहमदाबाद जन्मर्ग लिमिटेड :

अहमदाबाद जन्मर्ग लिमिटेड ही बीआरटीएस का संचालन करेगी। अहमदाबाद नगर निगम, अहमदाबाद अर्बन डव्हपलपमेंट ऑथोरिटी और गुजरात सरकार ने बीआरटीएस को स्पेशल परपस वेहिकल का दर्जा दिया है। फिलहाल चुने गए निजी बस ओपेरटर इस बस सेवा को चला रहे हैं। आने वाले समय में रोज यात्रा करने वाले यात्रियों के लिए स्मार्ट कार्ड की सुविधा भी शुरू की जाएगी। लोग स्मार्ट कार्ड को हर महीने बनने वाले पास के तरह ही इस्तेमाल कर पाएंगे।

अहमदाबाद को मिल चुके अब तक के अवार्ड्स :

- जन्मर्ग टेक्स अहमदाबाद टू एलिईट ग्लोबल क्लब
- अहमदाबाद (बीआरटीएस), इंडिया विन्स (ग्लोबल) 2010 ससटेनएबल ट्रांसपोर्ट अवार्ड
- अहमदाबाद जन्मर्ग बीआरटीएस ब्रिंग्स होनौर टू गुजरात, 2009

अहमदाबाद। आधुनिक पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम। कम लागत। कम खर्चा। लिहाजा दुनिया के 140 अन्य शहरों की तरह भारत में अहमदाबाद, दिल्ली और भोपाल समेत सभी बड़े शहरों में इसकी पहल की गई। लेकिन यह प्रोजेक्ट सिर्फ गुजरात की मेगा सिटी अहमदाबाद में ही सफल हुआ, बाकी अन्य जगहों पर यह प्रोजेक्ट वहां की सरकारों के लिए गले की फांस बन गया।

सीधे शब्दों में कहा जाए तो भविष्य का शहर वही है, जो आने वाले कल की चुनौतियों को आज ही पहचान ले। अहमदाबाद ने भी अपनी तेजी से बढ़ती आबादी से बखूबी निपटा है। आज जहां ज्यादातर मेट्रो शहरों में ट्रैफिक जाम बड़ी परेशानी है, वहीं अहमदाबाद में इसका नामों निशान तक नहीं दिखता। यहां का बीआरटीएस परफेक्ट प्लानिंग की एक बेहतरीन मिसाल है।
अहमदाबाद में जब प्रोजेक्ट सफल हुआ तो अन्य राज्य सरकारों ने भी इसे हाथों-हाथ लिया। फिलहाल यह प्रोजेक्ट मप्र के भोपाल में जोर-शोर से चल रहा है।
गत सप्ताह भोपाल की एक होटल में आयोजित मायबस कॉन्फ्रेंस में आए विशेषज्ञों ने भी इस प्रोजेक्ट को सफल बनाने के लिए अहमदाबाद का उदाहरण दिया। कोलंबिया से आए विशेषज्ञ डेरिओ हिडाल्गो ने जोर देते हुए अहमदाबाद और बोगोटा शहर का नाम लिया।

‘अहमदाबाद जन्मार्ग बस रैपिड ट्रांसिट सिस्टम’ का पूरा प्रारूप गुजरात में तैयार होने के बाद इसे केंद्र सरकार को भी भेजा गया था। अहमदाबाद बीआरटीएस के लिए गुजरात को अंतरराष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार भी मिला। गुजरात की मेगा सिटी अहमदाबाद में बीआरटीएस के द्वारा एक जगह से दूसरी जगह जाने के लिए पहले की तरह 40 मिनट के बजाए 11 मिनट में यह दूरी तय की जा सकती है।

अहमदाबाद बीआरटीएस के उद्घाटन अवसर पर मुख्यमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी ने कहा था कि ‘हम इसलिए सफल हुए, क्योंकि हमने दूसरों की गलती से सबक लिया’। सड़क परिवहन की व्यवस्था सुधारने के बाद गुजरात में तो अब जल मार्ग और मेट्रो पर भी काम शुरू हो गया है। आज के समय में जहा एयरपोर्ट और स्पेशल ट्रेन सेवा के लिए करोड़ों रुपए पानी की तरह बहाए जा रहे हैं, वहीं गुजरात में मॉडर्न पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट पर जोर दिया जा रहा है।

Source: http://www.bhaskar.com/article-hf/GUJ-AHM-brts-project-success-in-gujarat-only-4314492-PHO.html?seq=1

Monday 8 July 2013

Land Act a fraud, learn from Gujarat, says SC

Express news service : New Delhi, Fri Aug 05 2011, 09:22 hrs

Forcible acquisition of land has turned the 117-year-old Land Acquisition Act into a "fraud", the Supreme Court said on Thursday, calling the legislation a handiwork of "sick" minds with no concern for welfare of the poor.

It went on to praise the Gujarat government, saying no cases of farmers or the poor being uprooted from their land had come to court from the state.

"The Act has become a fraud. It seems to have been devised by people with a sick mind who had scant regard for the welfare of the common man. It is time the Act is scrapped," a bench of Justices G S Singhvi and H L Dattu observed, while hearing petitions by farmers from Hapur in Uttar Pradesh who had lost 82 acres to a leather industrial complex.

The 1894 Act is in the process of being repealed, with a new Bill set to be tabled in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The Supreme Court compared states where "forcible acquisition" using an emergency clause under the Act had almost become a norm to Gujarat. "But there is one state from where we do not receive any such complaints. Look at Ahmedabad which is developing but there are no complaints from that place. They have the same officers of the same cadre as in the rest of the country," the court said, adding officers from other states can train under their Gujarat counterparts.

The court even directly addressed Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal, who hails from Gujarat, to say that the law officer would "vouch" for the court's remarks about his state's policy on land acquisition.

On the other hand, the court was harsh on UP counsel Pallabh Sisodia, observing that "if you (UP government) are uprooting people of their only source of livelihood, you should make alternative arrangements for their livelihood and accommodation".

Noting that land prices were skyrocketing, the Supreme Court said that those with "muscle power" and political clout would take over all private land.

See more at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/land-act-a-fraud-learn-from-gujarat-says-sc/827449/#sthash.eCYngBlm.dpuf

Forcible acquisition of land has turned the 117-year-old Land Acquisition Act into a "fraud", the Supreme Court said on Thursday, calling the legislation a handiwork of "sick" minds with no concern for welfare of the poor.
It went on to praise the Gujarat government, saying no cases of farmers or the poor being uprooted from their land had come to court from the state.
"The Act has become a fraud. It seems to have been devised by people with a sick mind who had scant regard for the welfare of the common man. It is time the Act is scrapped," a bench of Justices G S Singhvi and H L Dattu observed, while hearing petitions by farmers from Hapur in Uttar Pradesh who had lost 82 acres to a leather industrial complex.
The 1894 Act is in the process of being repealed, with a new Bill set to be tabled in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The Supreme Court compared states where "forcible acquisition" using an emergency clause under the Act had almost become a norm to Gujarat. "But there is one state from where we do not receive any such complaints. Look at Ahmedabad which is developing but there are no complaints from that place. They have the same officers of the same cadre as in the rest of the country," the court said, adding officers from other states can train under their Gujarat counterparts.
The court even directly addressed Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal, who hails from Gujarat, to say that the law officer would "vouch" for the court's remarks about his state's policy on land acquisition.
On the other hand, the court was harsh on UP counsel Pallabh Sisodia, observing that "if you (UP government) are uprooting people of their only source of livelihood, you should make alternative arrangements for their livelihood and accommodation".
- See more at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/land-act-a-fraud-learn-from-gujarat-says-sc/827449/#sthash.eCYngBlm.dpuf

Express news service : New Delhi, Fri Aug 05 2011, 09:22 hrs - See more at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/land-act-a-fraud-learn-from-gujarat-says-sc/827449/#sthash.eCYngBlm.dpuf

Thursday 4 July 2013

US should learn from Mr. Narendra Modi: Joe Walsh

In trying economic times, US should learn from Narendra Modi-Joe Walsh

Saturday 29 June 2013

Gujarat does it again; ranks first in terms of least distortion for paddy

New Delhi June 28, 2013 Last Updated at 18:08 IST

Gujarat, a marginal contributor to India’s overall annual rice production, tops the list of states having least distorted rice markets in the country, according to the first ever ranking of states on the basis of degree of market distortion for rice done by the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP).

Interestingly, the top rice producing states in the country like Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh have the most distorted market for the same.

Chhattisgarh, which has emerged as one of the biggest producers of paddy in India, is ranked the lowest among the 18 states in the country where rice is mainly grown during the kharif season. In 2011-12, Chhattisgarh produced almost 6 million tonnes of rice, out of the total annual production of 104 million tonnes.

“Interestingly the eight states with most distorted markets with respect to paddy and rice procured about 62 percent of total marketed surplus of rice in 2011-12. Thus, the magnitude of distortion in the rice and paddy markets is clearly evident,” CACP said in its report.

The ranking was part of its kharif price policy recommendations made by the Commission for 2013-14. The cabinet Thursday accepted the Commissions recommendations to increase MSP of paddy by Rs 60 per quintal for 2013-14.

West Bengal, which is the country’s biggest producer of rice, was placed in the middle and was ranked 9th in the overall list. Gujarat produced around 2 million tonnes of paddy in 2011-12.

Explaining the rationale, the Commission said that degree of market distortion for rice has been calculated on the basis of taxes/levies on rice as percentage of MSP, bonus on paddy announced by the state governments, rice procurement as percentage share in rice production, stock limits (on paddy and rice), levy rice and market reforms undertaken by the state government.

The Commission in its recommendations advised the state governments to get their markets right and bring back the focus on establishing a single barrier free market, with minimum controls.

“State governments need to facilitate setting up adequate infrastructure such as storage facilities by the private sector, milling capacities; they also need to be discouraged from embarking on a high procurement mission, as it discourages private sector participation. State should come only as a last resort where the markets fail, and not take over the functioning of markets as a first step,” the Commission said.

States having least distorted paddy markets in India
States	Rank
Gujarat	1
Assam	2
Himachal Pradesh	3
Bihar	4
Kerala	5
Tamil Nadu	6
Karnataka	7
Maharashtra	8
West Bengal	9
Jharkhand	10
Uttarakhand	11
Madhya Pradesh	12
Uttar Pradesh	13
Odisha	14
Haryana	15
Punjab	16
Andhra Pradesh	17
Chattisgarh	18
Source: CACP

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/gujarat-does-it-again-ranks-first-in-terms-of-least-distortion-for-paddy-113062800745_1.html