THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Once-Hated Gujarat model of governance may aid Kerala to manage big-ticket development projects soon. On Wednesday, Chief Secretary VP Joy flew to Ahmedabad to attend an exclusive presentation on Thursday on Gujarat chief minister’s Dashboard system for project implementation. The move sparked a debate as the CPM used to be a vehement critic of the Gujarat model of development, with the Opposition alleging a CPM-Sangh Parivar nexus.
Joy, who will be accompanied by young bureaucrat and staff officer Umesh N S K, decided to take up the mission himself as CM Pinarayi Vijayan has directed him to submit a comprehensive report. It is learnt the idea was suggested to Pinarayi by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the former met him last month to discuss key projects including Kochi-Bangalore industrial corridor and SilverLine.
Sources said Modi told the visiting team that Dashboard was an innovative tool aiding good governance created during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister. Joy, who accompanied Pinarayi, was advised to visit and study the details of Dashboard for possible implementation in Kerala. Joy later asked his Gujarat counterpart Pankaj Kumar for a presentation of the system.
Shibu demands CM’s resignation
The move, which is ultimately aimed at attracting investment by emulating the Gujarat Model of governance, has sparked a row. A few weeks ago, former minister Thomas Isaac had released his new book ‘Kerala: Another Possible World’ that hails the state’s way of development and social welfare schemes as model for the entire country. When Gujarat made economic strides from 2002 to Rs 12, the CPM used to counter it with the ‘Kerala model’.
The party cursed the Gujarat model to the extent that it asked Shibu Baby John, the labour minister in the Oommen Chandy government, to resign when he visited Gujarat to study skill development programmes implemente d by Modi . Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who was the deputy leader of opposition back then, said Kerala, which was No.1 in development, had nothing new to learn from Gujarat. On Wednesday, Shibu dared Kodiyeri to demand Pinarayi’s resignation.
“What is the aim of the chief minister in sending officers to study the Gujarat model when BJP itself has discarded the myth. The CM, who is blindly copying Modi, could have sent officers to learn the Modi magic of propagating non-existent development,” said Shibu. State Congress president K Sudhakaran termed the visit a part of the expansion of ties between CPM and BJP to the administrative realm.
“Is the visit a part of implementing the Gujarat model which is rife in extreme Hindutva and drenched in the blood of minorities,” he asked. BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan said it was good that people who have tried to belittle Modi and his Gujarat model are repenting now. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran defended the CS visit saying it was a welcome practice that the state tries to learn new practices from others. But, there should be consultations with all before implementing them, he said.
Gujarat CM’s Dashboard
Started during the tenure of Narendra Modi as the CM of Gujarat, the Dashboard is an e-governance tool. It was relaunched in 2019. It’s a single platform where the CM can monitor the progress of projects, performance of officers, intervene up to the village level officers and take suggestions. Interestingly, a similar dashboard is already in use in Kerala Works minister Mohamed Riyas’ office.