BHUBANESWAR: Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, BJD leader VK Pandian on Sunday said even after two and half decades of BJP rule, Gujarat lags behind Odisha in many parameters.
Taking to Instagram, Pandian said as per the NHFS-5, 40 per cent children under five years of age in Gujarat suffer from malnutrition compared 30 per cent in Odisha. Similarly, while 65 per cent of women in Odisha have anaemia, Gujarat lags behind at 69 per cent.
Referring to anaemia among children, Pandian said while Odisha has 64 per cent such children, Gujarat is much worse at almost 80 per cent. While more than 90 per cent of children in Odisha have been vaccinated, Gujarat is far behind at 76.3 per cent. Similarly, while 86 per cent women in Odisha have a bank account, in Gujarat only 70 percent have it, he said.
He said more women in Odisha have mobile phone compared to Gujarat. Odisha is ahead with more than 50 per cent women having mobile phones while in Gujarat 48.8 per cent have the devices. While per capita debt in Odisha is about Rs 22,000, it is Rs 60,000 in Gujarat. As per the RBI handbook, the primary enrolment ratio in schools is almost 98 per cent in Odisha while in Gujarat it is around 90 percent. The second enrolment ratio is also more in Odisha at more than 80 per cent while in Gujarat is behind at 75 per cent.