Gujarat As I saw it

Hi,

Last month I went Gujarat ,after along time may be after  20 long years I got this opportunity . Past many years I used to listen "Vibrant Gujarat", I had all the reason to believe that it is just a slogan like many other slogans which are  popularized in support of the respective Governments regime like  "Shining India" of NDA Government or "Bharat Nirman" of UPA.

I was surprised, when I saw two girls driving  a scooty at around 12.30 night on a road near  bank of a jheel in city  and a  crowed of 15-20 people enjoying "Chat " on the stall  in Ahmadabad where my flight landed at 12.10 in mid night and  I was passing from there  while going from Airport to my hotel .Next Day I visited the secretariat and met many IAS officers found them positive and cooperative. Also had an opportunity of see MR. Ashok C Bhatt the Hon'able Speaker of State  Assembly who was very cordial and extend unexpected  help.

Next day I went to see the nearby villages  I saw the  prosperity of the area was visible and people were cooperative. In a middle school of the village I found a computer  lab and to best of my surprise it was working also. The principal informed that they are teaching computer from class 4. Same day I had an opportunity to meet Director Bhaskaracharya Institute For Space Applications and Geo-Informatics where students of class 6 -7 were being taught in three different studios and the same program in the rural school of Gujarat was being live  telecast-ed to teach the rural students. I was also informed that Mr. Narendra Modi  and cabinet colleagues are using this facility to address the villagers of the state on all important issue to establish direct communication with the public in the state.It is just not ceremonial  which is done as part of national functions like 15th August and 26th January , some important festivals or waiting for emergency like 26/11 etc. when it becomes mandatory for the leadership to use it for morel boosting of the public.It was pleasant and memorable experience of feeling the "Vibrant Gujarat" .

I am associated with an NGO  "EKAL MOVEMENT " which is empowering rural people all over India having 34000 villages in net work .Past 10 years there were many villages in Gujarat too where we  were working , this April we have winded from there because could not find an opportunity to work on the project we work on, that is already achieved.

An honest assessment of the state made me believe that "Vibrant Gujarat" is just not a slogan. My salute to the  leadership and the people of Gujarat with out whose cooperation this would have not been possible to make Gujarat a role model for other states of India.

Ajay Singh "EKAL"