Pune: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday castigated the Centre for its "abrupt ban" on cotton export, saying that the decision had inflicted a whopping loss of Rs 15,000 crore on the Gujarat farmers.
"The abrupt ban on cotton export, announced by the Centre, has resulted in a loss of Rs 15,000 crore on cotton growers in Gujarat," he said, while speaking at a function.
Modi said, the ban, which damaged the prospects of farmers, who brought foreign exchange to the country, was lifted only after people's protest.
He alleged that the government measure also ruined the credibility of the Indian government in the global export market.
Listing Gujarat's achievements in the agriculture sector, which, he claimed, had registered a growth of 11 per cent in the last ten years, Modi said, "While cotton growers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are driven to suicide, his counterpart in Gujarat does not face this predicament."
Highlighting an all-round development of Gujarat, Modi said, the state was now on the verge of becoming the "biggest auto hub" of Asia, overtaking Pune.
He said, the world leaders were visiting Gujarat to see for themselves the Gujarat development model, after the prestigious 'The Economist' featured it thrice in its issue.
Modi was honoured with the 'Gujarat Ratna' award on the occasion by the Poona Gujarati Bandhu Samaj, which is celebrating its centenary year.
Earlier, Modi released a book, authored by former Union Minister Mohan Dharia, who heads the 'Vanrai' organisation, working for afforestation.
Modi, who arrived in the city last night, also visited the Lavasa lake city project.
Comments
0 comment