Congress mocks Chhattisgarh’s claim of record growth

RAIPUR - Congress leader Ajit Jogi Monday mocked the claim of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Chhattisgarh government that the state registered the highest growth rate among all Indian states in the 2009-10 fiscal.

“These are exaggerated claims. The fact is that only a few rich people have become richer during the BJP regime in the state while life quality of a massive population of the state has further went down,” Jogi, the first chief minister of the state, said in a statement.

Jogi was reacting to a state government statement that said: “Chhattisgarh has left all other states behind and emerged as the top ranked state in fiscal year 2009-10 in terms of GDP growth rate with 11.49 percent.”

The BJP government quoted New Delhi-based Central Statistical Organisation data for its claims. The government release also claimed that Chhattisgarh registered an average growth rate of 10.9 percent in the past five years while its average per capita income in 2009-10 was estimated to be Rs.34,483.

Jogi advised Chief Minister Raman Singh to “focus on development and prosperity of over 20 million people of the state rather than highlighting the progress of about 100-200 industrialists, mining owners and those who amassed money illegally”.