Gujarat is one of the worst performing states: Harish Rawat

Dehradun, Apr 16: Training his guns on the BJP's prime ministerial candidate,

Chief Minister

on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi-ruled

is one of the worst performing states on the human development index in the country.

The much-touted Gujarat model of development is nothing but an inflated balloon, he told reporters here. "The BJP-ruled Gujarat, in fact, figures along with 11 other states at the bottom of the human development index," Rawat said.

Even Uttarakhand which saw one of the worst tragedies in its history last year presents a better model of development than Gujarat, he said.

Drawing a comparison between the two states, Rawat said the amount given to widows as pension in Uttarakhand is Rs 800 while it is a paltry Rs 400 in Gujarat.

"Be it the infant mortality rate in Gujarat which is among the highest in the country or any other parameter of human development index, Gujarat's performance has been one of the poorest," he said.

Rawat said he was confident that in the next three years, Uttarakhand will emerge as one of the finest models of development in the country.

PTI