Gujarat’s state budget has increased from Rs 30,000 crore during Congress rule to over Rs four lakh crore at present, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said at a public meeting in Botad district on Wednesday. Addressing a ‘Vikas Sankalp Sabha’ held in connection with the upcoming local self-government elections, Patel cited the expansion in the state’s budget as part of a broader account of economic growth under successive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments.
"The number of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Gujarat had risen from 1.81 lakh before the BJP rule to more than 27 lakh at present," he said. Referring to industrial development, Patel said that the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, initiated by then Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had contributed to Gujarat becoming “the growth engine of the country” and a leading provider of employment.
He told the gathering that the state’s economic trajectory reflected sustained policy focus on development. The Chief Minister also spoke about changes in political discourse, stating that elections in earlier periods were marked by divisions along caste and religious lines.
“Prime Minister Modi has freed the country from this and initiated development-based politics. BJP workers remain engaged with the public throughout the year, unlike opposition parties, which are visible mainly during elections," he said. On welfare measures, Patel highlighted the Ayushman Bharat scheme, saying that treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh is available free of cost through Ayushman cards.
"This has reduced the financial burden on poor as well as middle-class families and all citizens above the age of 70 are now covered under the scheme without any income limit," he said. He also referred to the Pradhan Mantri Svanidhi Yojana, under which small vendors and street hawkers can access loans without collateral.
"This has enabled many beneficiaries to move out of cycles of high-interest borrowing," he said. Earlier in the day, Patel held a meeting with representatives from the cooperative sector and social leaders in Salangpur, where he discussed ongoing development projects and government schemes being implemented in the state.
He said that the emphasis on development had marked a shift in the nature of political engagement in the country and urged local leaders to work towards securing a decisive victory for the BJP in the upcoming polls.