'Odisha is ahead of Gujarat, it is ironic that...': BJD's VK Pandian responds to PM Modi
VK Pandian, who served as private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for over a decade, shared statistics, comparing various indices of Gujarat and Odisha, with a comment, "Look who wants to make Odisha number one."
- May 12, 2024,
- Updated May 12, 2024 7:19 PM IST
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that the BJP would make Odisha "number one" in the country if voted to power after the assembly polls, BJD's VK Pandian on Sunday claimed that the eastern state is ahead of Gujarat in various parameters. Pandian, who served as private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for over a decade, shared statistics, comparing various indices of Gujarat and Odisha, with a comment, "Look who wants to make Odisha number one."
The BJD leader said that it was ironic that even after two-and-a-half decades of the BJP rule in Gujarat, the situation as compared to Odisha was quite dismal. In terms of malnutrition (children under 5 years who are underweight), he said, the rate is 30 per cent in Odisha whereas it is 40 per cent in Gujarat.
Pandian cited the NHFS-5 (National Health Family Survey) data to say that 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. He 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, the bureaucrat-turned-politician said, adding that over 50 per cent of women in the eastern state have mobile phones whereas only 48.8 per cent of women in Gujarat have the device. He said 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 in a statement. Pandian said Gujarat lagged behind Odisha despite Modi heading the western state for three terms before becoming the prime minister in 2014. He shared the data a day after the PM, while addressing election rallies in Odisha on Saturday, assured people that the BJP 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.
(With inputs from PTI)
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that the BJP would make Odisha "number one" in the country if voted to power after the assembly polls, BJD's VK Pandian on Sunday claimed that the eastern state is ahead of Gujarat in various parameters. Pandian, who served as private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for over a decade, shared statistics, comparing various indices of Gujarat and Odisha, with a comment, "Look who wants to make Odisha number one."
The BJD leader said that it was ironic that even after two-and-a-half decades of the BJP rule in Gujarat, the situation as compared to Odisha was quite dismal. In terms of malnutrition (children under 5 years who are underweight), he said, the rate is 30 per cent in Odisha whereas it is 40 per cent in Gujarat.
Pandian cited the NHFS-5 (National Health Family Survey) data to say that 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. He 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, the bureaucrat-turned-politician said, adding that over 50 per cent of women in the eastern state have mobile phones whereas only 48.8 per cent of women in Gujarat have the device. He said 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 in a statement. Pandian said Gujarat lagged behind Odisha despite Modi heading the western state for three terms before becoming the prime minister in 2014. He shared the data a day after the PM, while addressing election rallies in Odisha on Saturday, assured people that the BJP 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.
(With inputs from PTI)