Ashok Bhatt flays Modhwadia on investment issue

Gandhinagar, Aug 24 (UNI) Gujarat Law and Justice Minister Ashok Bhatt today refuted the allegations made by opposition leader Arjun Modhwadia that the Modi government had failed to draw investments in the state.

''Since 1977, various governments in Gujarat announced tax free industrial investment schemes in the state in which Congress Government had implemented industrial incentive policy, giving subsidies of Rs 16,315 crore between 1985 and 1993. From 1995 to 2000, the Congress government gave subsidies of Rs 24,210 crore.

Compared to this, the Modi Government has given subsidies worth Rs 44,000 crore,'' Mr Bhatt told reporters here today.

''Gujarat is drawing a large chunk of investment in Special Economic Zones (SEZ), infrastructure, urban infrastructure and port-related development sectors,'' Mr Bhatt said.

Mr Bhatt said the present with government's efforts, the GDP rate had crossed 11 per cent, helping the country's GDP rate at 9.2 per cent.

''Mr Modhwadia should study all this and desist from making irresponsible statements,'' he added.

UNI