Rahul Gandhi’s claim that Mayawati’s Uttar Pradesh is “backward” is merely rhetoric. In fact, recent development figures released by the Manmohan Singh-led UPA II government contradict the claim.
Rahul Gandhi’s claim that Mayawati’s Uttar Pradesh is “backward” is merely rhetoric. In fact, recent development figures released by the Manmohan Singh-led UPA II government contradict the claim.
Gandhi on Monday kicked off the Congress’ campaign for the assembly elections in UP. Addressing the crowd at Phulpur, Allahabad district, he remarked that UP was moving backwards while the country was moving forward. But the Planning Commission has painted a different picture of the once Bimaru state.
The approach paper for the 12th Plan has praised UP saying, while “most states have shown sustained high rates of growth, several of the economically weaker states have demonstrated an improvement in their growth rates”. UP has recorded a GDP growth of more than 6% in the past three years.
Even the Human Development Index report for 2011 complimented UP and Bihar for uplifting the status of the backward classes. “It is worth citing the progress achieved by two of the economically backward states: UP and Bihar,” the report said. The Institute of Manpower Research and the Planning Commission jointly prepared the report and released it in September. Prime minister Manmohan Singh approved it on October 22.
UP chief minister Mayawati has sought an additional grant of Rs80,000 crore as a special package for the backward regions of Purvanchal and Bundelkhand. A good performance on the economic front now makes a good case for UP to get the grant.
Mayawati has cited lack of funds as a reason behind her proposal to create separate states out of these two backward regions along with Paschim Pradesh and Awadh Pradesh. The commission has earmarked Rs47,000 crore for UP in 2011-12.
Interestingly, other non-UPA states too have performed well in the 11th plan, with Bihar being the top performer. The state has recorded a growth rate of nearly 10% in the first three years of the 11th plan compared to a target of 7.6%. Jharkhand achieved 10.6% growth rate compared to a target of 9.8%. Orissa, another poor state, grew at 9.6% while the target was 8.8%.
In fact, non-UPA states have outperformed UPA-ruled states. But this is something that Gandhi might not want to announce at poll rallies in UP.
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