CM reaping benefits of '90s development: Siddharth Patel

AHMEDABAD: Chief minister Narendra Modi, who claims that the state is developing under his rule, is actually reaping benefits of the developments in the 1990 decade. Congress leader Siddharth Patel - referring to the period when his father Chimmanbhai Patel was the CM between 1991 and 94 - told the House that if the growth rate of per capita power consumption was an overall growth indicator then Gujarat grew much faster nearly 20 years back.
"There was a growth of 150 per cent in the 90s while in the 10 year of Modi rule, the per capital consumption has only increased by 50 per cent," Siddharth Patel said speaking on the state budget.
"In the year 1990 the per capita power consumption was 382 and by 2000 it jumped to 942, an increase of 150 per cent. When Modi took over, the per capital power consumption was 953 units and this increased to just 1,451 units by the end of 2010. This was a growth of 50 per cent. This indicates that the actual development and industrialization in the state took place in the 1990's and not in 2000."
During 1991-2000, the power production in the state increased by 116 per cent, while during the decade of Modi rule, there was only 38 per cent rise, Patel said, alleging that the state government was into profiteering. The Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel was the highest in the country, he claimed and added that the state government itself has told that VAT revenue from fuel has risen by Rs 1000 crore. The government is cashing on the rise in the petrol and diesel prices, instead of giving any relief to people.