Author: IANS
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: February 25, 2008
URL: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Gujarat_to_connect_16000_villages_via_broadband/articleshow/2813822.cms
After launching Jyotigram Yojana which aims
at supplying electricity to all villages, Gujarat is planning another ambitious
project to provide broadband links to its rural areas.
Presenting the 2008-09 state budget in the
Vidhan Sabha(state assembly) Monday, Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala said the
plan, first of its kind in the country, would provide broadband connections
to 16,000 villages across the state.
This is the first budget of the Narendra Modi
government after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the December 2007 assembly
elections. The broadband connectivity will make all villages e-Gram-Vishwa-Gram
and help villagers avail all advantages of information technology (IT), said
Vala.
He said the state was also keen on improving
its standing in the Human Development Index (HDI). According to him, the budget
revolves around the concept of HDI as the UNDP study has said that Gujarat
should play a greater role in improving the HDI.
"We have to increase rural prosperity
through agriculture development, and increase employment opportunities. But
our stress will be on providing common man with nutritious diet, pure drinking
water, extension of quality education and extension of health facilities,"
he said.
The government has also decided to set up
a Children's University in Gujarat, which again will be the first of its kind
in India, Vala said. The project will take off as an institution called Bal
Gokulam but will ultimately be transformed into a Children's University.
The state was already moving towards achieving
a growth rate of 11.3 percent, a notch ahead of 11.2 percent indicated by
the Planning Commission, the minister said.
Vala said the state had achieved an average
growth rate of 10.4 in the last year against a target of 10.2 percent. For
the 11th plan, a challenging target of 11.2 percent has been set.
He indicated that the annual plan outlay for
2008-09 will be Rs 190.3 billion ($4.7 billion) compared to Rs 160 billion
approved for 2007-08, reflecting an increase of 18.93 percent.
Earlier, the opposition Congress staged a
walkout from the Assembly minutes before the finance minister moved the budget.
The Congress wanted special discussion on the Patan gang rape case and killing
of a tribal in Sabarkantha district.
They sought adjournment motion but it was
rejected by Speaker Ashok Bhatt. Protesting this, the Congress MLAs walked
out shouting slogans against Modi.