The Hindu : National : Publish White Paper on Central aid: Dasmunsi

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Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007
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Publish White Paper on Central aid: Dasmunsi

Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD: Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, has asked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to "stop the malicious propaganda" of the Centre adopting a discriminatory attitude against the State because it was ruled by the BJP.

He challenged Mr. Modi to publish a "White Paper" with "genuine and honest figures" of the Central assistance provided under the various schemes during the six years of NDA rule in Delhi and the allocations made by the UPA Government in the last two-and-half years.

Talking to media persons here on Tuesday, Mr. Dasmunsi also denied credit to the Modi government for foreign investments in the State and pointed out that the overall atmosphere for attracting foreign investments could be created only by the Central Government through tax concessions, fiscal discipline and other measures and it was not in the control of any State Government. He said the Centre would appreciate more investments in Gujarat, which along with Maharashtra, were the most industrially progressive States in the western India, because progress of Gujarat would also ensure improving the growth rate of the country.

On the Supreme Court's verdict bringing acts under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution under judicial review, Mr. Dasmunsi said the Centre had no intention of indulging in any kind of confrontation with the judiciary but `Parliament knows how to circumvent if the judiciary come in the way of giving voice to the people's aspirations."

He was in Gujarat to inaugurate the five-day "Jan Mitra shibir" of the State Congress at the tribal-dominated Devgadh Bariya in the Panchamahals district to educate the tribals about the steps being taken by the Centre for the development of the weaker sections of the society including the recent forest dwellers' rights act.

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