Jaitley shoots down MP progress report

Jaitley criticised the move saying: ‘‘It is a desperate gamble to divert all resources to beg and borrow power’’ and added that ‘‘patch-work solutions on the eve of elections will not work’’.

Singh countered, saying: ‘‘Jaitley is quoting figures out of context.’’ ‘‘Are all these reports prepared by prestigious national and international agencies factually incorrect and Digvijay Singh’s certificate to himself accurate?’’ Jaitley asks.

In an hour-long presentation today, Singh explained the progress made in Madhya Pradesh during his two terms as chief minister.

On the education sector, Singh highlighted the Padhna Badhna programme, which provides literacy and livelihood, and the Lok Sampark Abhiyan to map the growth of each child out of school. On health, Singh said, the population growth has dipped from 27 to 24 per cent.

On economic growth, Singh said the state has registered a growth rate of 6 per cent during 1994-95 to 1999-2000. ‘‘It is only in 2000-2001 that the growth rate has been less, which is the figure that the Opposition quotes to show the state of economy,’’ he said.

Singh quoted the Reserve Bank of India, the Planning Commission and the Finance Commission figures in support of his argument.

Jaitley had quoted the CII report for 2002, the Human Development Index of Planning Commission for 2001 and India Today survey for 2003. ‘‘The CII report that is being quoted has not even been circulated,’’ Singh said.

‘‘The India Today document refers to health spending of Madhya Pradesh as one of the three least spending,’’ Jaitley said.

Singh said while the literacy rate has gone up from 44 per cent to 64 per cent, the India Today survey, ‘‘gave us a zero on literacy’’.

Jaitley said: ‘‘Both on economic indices and social indices, the state has failed miserably.’’

‘‘As soon as the Gujarat elections were over, they thought they would carry the Hindutva agenda to the next elections. Having failed to do that in Madhya Pradesh, they have turned to development issues,’’ Singh said.

‘‘But we are happy that for once they are talking of development as a political issue,’’ he said, reacting to an earlier letter of Jaitley on poor performance of the state.

Later, Jaitley said: ‘‘I am glad Digvijay Singh has trapped himself in a debate on development. The people of Madhya Pradesh will give their verdict.’’