Bhubaneswar: BJD leader V K Pandian on Sunday claimed that Odisha is "much ahead" of Gujarat is various parameters, in a rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise that the BJP would make the eastern state "number one" in the country if voted to power after the assembly polls.
Pandian, a bureaucrat-turned-politician, shared statistics, comparing various indices of Gujarat and Odisha, with a comment, "Look who wants to make Odisha number one." "It is ironic that even after two-and-half decades of BJP rule in Gujarat, the situation as compared to Odisha is quite dismal. In terms of malnutrition (children under 5 years who are underweight), the rate is 30 per cent in Odisha whereas it is 40 per cent in Gujarat," he said in a statement.
Quoting NHFS-5 (National Health Family Survey) data, Pandian said the prevalence of anaemia among women was 65 per cent in Odisha, while it was 69 per cent in Gujarat, whereas 64 per cent of children in Odisha were anaemic, but the percentage was 80 in Gujarat. The BJD leader said Odisha fared much better than Gujarat in terms of immunisation, with 90 per cent of children having been vaccinated, compared to only 76.3 per cent in the western state.
More than 86 per cent of women in Odisha have bank accounts, compared to only 70 per cent in Gujarat, he said, adding that over 50 per cent of women in the eastern state have mobile phones whereas only 48.8 per cent women in Gujarat have the device. Pandian said that per capita debt in Gujarat was Rs 60,000, almost thrice than that of Odisha's Rs 22,000.
As per RBI handbook, primary enrolment ratio in schools was almost 98 per cent in Odisha, compared to just 90 per cent in Gujarat, he said. The BJD leader said Gujarat lagged behind Odisha despite Modi heading the western state for three terms before becoming the prime minister.
Pandian shared the statistics a day after the PM, while addressing election rallies in Odisha on Saturday, assured people that the saffron party would develop the eastern state and make it number one in the country within five years if voted to power after the assembly polls. Simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections will commence in Odisha from the fourth phase on Monday.
