Today the word ‘Gujarat’ has become synonymous with development
On May 1, 1960, Bombay State was dissolved and split on linguistic lines into the two States of Gujarat, with a Gujarati speaking population and Maharashtra, with a Marathi speaking population. The creation of an independent State of Gujarat was a triumph of the Mahagujarat movement, also known as the Mahagujarat Andolan, which was a political movement demanding the creation of a separate State for Gujarati-speaking people from the bilingual Bombay State since 1956. Ever since then, Gujarat has not looked back. Over the last six decades, Gujarat has not only emerged as a key player in boosting the economy of our country but also been a hub of tourism, industrialisation and innovation. The State has also produced a number of prominent national leaders and exceptional personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Morarji Desai, Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Jamsetji Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani, Narendra Modi and Sunita Williams, to name a few.
Gujarat has become the growth engine of India today. However, when it was separated from Bruhad Mumbai and came into existence as an individual State, there were many challenges in front of the then leaders of Gujarat. There was no cultivable land and water and electricity facilities were almost absent in the State. The entire infrastructure needed to be developed to fulfil the leaders’ goal of making Gujarat a progressive State. It was due to the collective efforts of the leaders and the people that Gujarat reached the pinnacle of success.
In the six decades since its formation, Gujarat has transformed into ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ and has become a model State of India. Gujarat has created its unique identity in the world with its good governance, people-oriented administration, holistic development, peace, security and public welfare policies.
Gujarat has achieved phenomenal growth in each sector. Today, with business-friendly policies and an environment that fosters the ‘Ease of Doing Business (EODB)’, Gujarat has become one of the top ten industrial States of India. Gujarat is number one in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and received the highest FDI worth Rs 1.58 lakh crore during April-December 2020. Gujarat has successfully attracted investments in the automobile sector and is emerging as an automobile manufacturing hub. The rapid industrial growth in the State has enabled it to reduce its unemployment rate and Gujarat has the lowest urban unemployment rate of 3.4 per cent.
Gujarat has also achieved a high growth rate in the agricultural sector and its irrigation area has doubled with the advent of the Narmada canal. As a result, agricultural production has increased manifold and today, Gujarat ranks first in the country in groundnut production, with a 40 per cent share. With various farmer-oriented schemes like the ‘Krishi Mahotsav’, the ‘Drip Irrigation scheme’, ‘7 Steps of Farmer Welfare’ and the ‘Kisan Suryoday Yojana’ Gujarat is leading in agricultural development and the prosperity of farmers. With the Sardar Sarovar project, the ‘Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyan’ and the ‘SAUNI Yojana’, Gujarat has become a water surplus State from a water deficient one. Besides, Gujarat has become the front runner among the top seven performers in the nationwide ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ and more than 80 per cent households of Gujarat are getting potable water through taps. The State is taking a significant step towards transforming sea water into potable drinking water and establishing a desalination plant at Mandvi.
It has been 60 years since the State of Gujarat was established, and today the word ‘Gujarat’ has become synonymous with development. Under a decisive leadership Gujarat is set to create a ‘New India’ through a ‘New Gujarat.’
(The writer is Joint Director, Information, Gujarat Bhawan, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal.)
