10 Sops Announced By Gujarat Govt After EC Declared Himachal Pradesh Poll Dates

Ahmedabad: The Opposition has launched an all-out attack over the delay in the announcement of Gujarat election dates, but it has not stopped the state government from loosening its purse strings.

The EC on October 12 had announced that the polling for the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh will take place on November 9, but had not announced the Gujarat poll schedule.

Since then, the BJP government in the state has launched a number of big-ticket projects, doled out sops for government employees and balanced political equations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made four visits to the state over the last month and is scheduled to make his fifth on Sunday when he is expected to inaugurate and lay the foundation for several development projects worth Rs 1,140 crore in Vadodara.

The Congress claims the slew of announcements shows that the BJP pressured the EC to delay the announcement for its own benefit. The model code of conduct would have come into immediate effect in Gujarat had the poll schedule been announced along with Himachal Pradesh, it said.

Here, we take a look at the 10 major things done by the Gujarat government since EC announced Himachal Pradesh election dates:

- Projects worth Rs 750 crore either declared open or laid foundation and more are in the offing.

- Rs 6000 crore Memorandum of Understanding signed with United Phosphorous to procure agricultural fertilizers.

- Seventh Pay Commission benefits announced for 15,000 nagar palika employees in the state. Next of kin of those employees who die on duty to get jobs.

- CM Vijay Rupani flagged off 40 buses out of 575 new buses being inducted in the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) and gave appointment letters to conductors.

- Zero-interest crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh for farmers. The move is expected to benefit at least 25 lakh farmers.

- Foundation stone of Aquatic Life Sciences and Robotics Gallery laid in Science City.

- Lion safari park at Ambardi in Amreli district thrown open to visitors, nearly 17 years after the idea was first mooted.

- 22 cases filed against farmers of Nalkantha area withdrawn by Home department.

- 468 cases against Patidars withdrawn. These cases were filed by police during the reservation stir.

- 21 DSPs promoted to the rank of Additional SPs. This is the first time that a new post of Additional SP has been created. Eight of the 21 promoted are Patidars.