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Journalism of Courage
Nearly 17 years ago, on Republic Day morning, Rajesh Bhatt, then 37, lost his wife and everything he had made to the Bhuj earthquake of 2001. Living in a makeshift tin house since, he rebuilt his life. Today, his company, Buildwell, which manufactures machines that produce eco-friendly fly-ash bricks, has a turnover of more than Rs 10 crore.
The story of his rise from ruin to a multi-crore business has former President A P J Abdul Kalam as its main protagonist. Kalam inspired him to get into business and helped him get the first orders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the other protagonist — because, according to Bhatt, currently president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kutch, the region’s rise has happened because of “Modi’s vision”.
This is what the BJP wants to cash in on; Kutch could be the only region where BJP is banking solely on vikas this election.
The Bhuj earthquake had destroyed over 38,000 houses and killed 2,370 people. But Kutch region, neglected for years, rose to become an industrial hub and an economic powerhouse. Industry sources say the total investment in Kutch today is Rs 1.40 lakh crore, bringing direct employment to 1 lakh people and indirect employment to 3 lakh.
Kutch, Gujarat’s largest district, comprises six assembly seats and votes on December 9. The BJP, which holds five of these, is treading cautiously in an atmosphere marked by the Patidar quota agitation, farmers’ disillusionment over losses, and problems arising out of demonetisation and GST. Its candidates seek votes in the name of Modi and development during his tenure in the state.
Modi has chosen Kutch to kick off his campaign in Gujarat, with his first public rally in Bhuj Monday.
“Narmada water, employment for locals, education facilities, demonetisation, GST rollout and the problems in the health sector are the factors that influence this election. Since it is a key industrial hub, the second edition of industrial development also figures in the list,” said Nimish Phadke, managing director of the Federation of Kutch Industries Associations.
According to Phadke, demonetisation has not affected the big players in the region, but micro, medium and small enterprises were hit badly. He said there are around 3,000 MSME units in Kutch region. And after GST rolled out, businessmen are worried also about IT-network related issues and wrong interpretation of the law.
These issues, coupled with what seems to be a yearning for change among some voters, could define the electoral battle here. And as in other regions of Gujarat, it is the goodwill Modi enjoys that anchors the BJP’s hopes in Kutch too.
“Modiji worked hard for Gujarat and now he works 16 hours a day for the country. Gujaratis cannot forget him,” said Naresh, who works with an automobile shop in Bhuj town. Even Bhuvesh Patel, a follower of Hardik Patel, agreed: “No one has any complaint against Modiji.” He added, however: “But people will vote against the BJP to teach them a lesson.” BJP supporters Naresh and Devubhai agreed that farmers are in distress.
As NH-27 from Rajkot approaches Bhuj, signs of a flourishing industrial hub start to appear: rows of windmills, salt fields and a number of factory buildings. It is Modi whom supporters credit with Kutch’s industrial progress, and also with developing the region as a tourism attraction. “Since he took over, the growth in the tourism sector could be 1,500-fold,” Phadke said.
“This was once an untouched region,” Rajesh Bhatt said. “Modi had such vision and he developed this area into an economic powerhouse. Of course, the World Bank and a number of NGOs poured assistance after the earthquake. But it was the government that monitored and utilised the funds.”
Today, Kutch’s industrial growth covers a wide range of sectors including renewable energy (2000 MW), coal-based power (10,000 MW) and a marine chemical industry. The district houses the world’s second-largest hub for manufacturing submerged-arc welding pipes, the largest textile plant, edible oil refineries that process more than 50% of India’s output, Kandla and Mundra sea ports that together handle more than 30% of the country’s total cargo, more than 20 steel plants, and more than 2,200 units for wood sawing and processing.
Poor performance by the farm sector, however, have led to locals complaining about not being preferred for jobs in these industrial units. According to the current provisions for eligibility for government incentives, 85% of the jobs should be given to locals, but the provisions do not specify that the locals are to be only Kutch residents. “The growth has not percolated to the ground level,” an industrialist said.
Bhatt did not totally agree, however, that Kutch is just an industrial area. “You name any vegetable, we grow it here. We have corporate farmers who have farmland ranging from 100 to 2,000 acres,” he said.
To overcome possible negative effects of demonetisation and GST, the BJP leadership has been highlighting the Narmada project, expected to irrigate 2.46 lakh hectares and considered the lifeline of Gujarat. In September, Modi had dedicated the Sardar Sarovar Dam, whose foundation stone had been laid in 1961 by Jawaharlal Nehru. A Narmada Yatra and a Mahotsav too highlighted the project.
While some residents are optimistic about the project, which has already brought drinking water to the region, others note that canals to bring water to Kutch farms are not complete yet. Farmers complain that the water is being diverted to industrial units. “The Narmada project was to fetch water to the drought region and Kutch was the main focus. But large parts are yet to be irrigated. Looking at the pace of the project, locals feel it will take at least 10 years,” Phadke said.
The BJP is confident about its prospects in the urban region, having won the lion’s share of urban seats in 2007 and 2012. In the rural areas, it is worried whether it enjoys as much goodwill.
Many farmers in the region are upset because their land has been taken to build huge transmission towers but they have not got the benefits of the economic growth.
