Compared to her illustrious predecessor and mentor Narendra Modi, Gujarat’s first woman Chief Minister Anandiben Patel had a very smooth first year at the helm.
74-year-old Patel, who completed one year as the Chief Minister on Friday, in fact focused on carrying forward various initiatives taken by Modi, but at the same time she tried to create her own identity by emphasising on social sector, especially in her first full-fledged Budget in March this year.
During the first year under Anandiben, most of the State Government events and her public speeches were focused on previous Modi Government’s achievements. Even the Gujarat Government’s flagship biennial event for promoting trade & Industry — Vibrant Gujarat — in January this year was Prime Minister Modi’s show. It was projected as the ‘Davos of East’ and given national color unlike the previous six Vibrant Gujarat events, which were more Gujarat centric.
Knowing the fact very well, Patel and her team are trying to come out of previous Government’s shadow by launching ‘Gatisheel Gujarat’ initiative. Her public speeches now focus on initiatives by her Government. Officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) say that under Gatisheel Gujarat programme, she has set specific deadlines for specific tasks, which was not the case during the Modi rule.
She is trying to carve her niche by pushing social sectors like education, women empowerment, health, cleanliness etc. Her website describes the programme, in various phases, as “11 sectors, 48 works, millions of smiles — development on a fast track.” Her Government gave first gender-friendly budget dedicating 67 schemes for women’s welfare. The State Assembly also passed a Bill providing for 50 per cent reservation to women in local self-government bodies and raised their job quota from 30 per cent to 33 per cent. However, it is not that easy to step into a larger-than-life shadow of someone like Narendra Modi, who ruled Gujarat for nearly 13 years and made BJP victorious in three consecutive Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of successful completion of one year in the office, Patel laid the foundation stone of water supply scheme worth Rs517 crore at Kumbhera Village of newly-carved district Arvalli. The scheme will benefit 501 villages and 3 cities of the district. Under the scheme water of Narmada, Vatrak and Mazum rivers will be provided to the district people. She will inaugurate Govind Guru University at Godhra. Her council of Ministers will also roam around across the State during the next one week to inform the people about her Government’s initiatives.