It is exchange of ideas which enriches any discussion. Polity can certainly reap benefits of such enlightened discussions. Stubbornness on running down others without being specific would not do well to anyone. People responsible for shaping policies and outlook of JD(U) must be more forthcoming, and should discuss specific issues on merits. Citizenry of Bihar will appreciate if someone were to specifically address point by point where they find problem with ‘The Gujarat Model’. Like any development model, ‘The Gujarat Model’ is also made up of several components. People criticizing Gujarat model need to tell their audience as to which of the component of Gujarat development model they find fault with.

Gujarat has a number of things to its credit which other states would find worth emulating. Whether other state governments borrow these ideas from Gujarat experience or ideate themselves, essentially they will have to follow in the foot step of Gujarat in course of their progression along the development path. Followers are likely to more often tread along the same path which leader might have travelled earlier. For example, Bihar will have to necessarily adopt the following initiatives of Gujarat in path of its progression, in spite of all its aversions to Gujarat Model:

1.      Separate feeders for power supply to agriculture

2.      Linking of rivers and creation of state wide irrigation canal grid

3.      All weather roads to all habitations,

4.      Electricity to all habitations,

5.      Piped Drinking Water to all habitations,

6.      Piped Gas Grid to all habitations,

7.      Canal/ Water body top Solar Water Grid,

8.      Village Broadband Connectivity

9.      Urban Administration Model

10.  Professionalization of PSU governance

11.  Governance Process Reengineering

12.  Governance by Objective

13.  River front development and recharging of south Bihar rivers

14.  Industrial development Model

15.  3S model of Project Execution and Program Implementation

16.  Doorstep delivery of government services.

17.  Co-operative Milk Model

18.  SHG model

19.  Economic Infrastructure Development Model

20.  Investor Meet ala ‘Vibrant Gujarat’

Be it the NaMo Mantra of 3S (skill, scale and speed) or 4P (people public private partnership), every state, including Bihar, will find merit in it. Bihar’s own policy on private industrial park upholds the 4P principle enunciated by Mr Modi. Buzz word of skill, scale and speed is not a new found principle; it is just a re-enunciation of proven development paradigm of the past. Ford motors, Japan government, Chinese government and even our very own Mr Vajpayee went for scale and speed. Skill development importance in context of India is amply highlighted in the 11th five year plan document.  Only that Gujarat government is using this as a guiding principle in its own project execution and program implementation model. Other states would find it worth replicating.

Needless to say, attempts are being made by Bihar administration to replicate most of the aforementioned components in the similar fashion whether state politicians openly acknowledge it or not.

There are areas where Bihar administration needs to chart different course of action borne out of Bihar’s own peculiar socio-economic realities. While schemes like Bicycle Yojana, Poshak Yojana might not be required for states like Kerala, TN or even Gujarta, still it would make imminent sense for Bihar. Similarly, innovative use of arms act has much more relevance for lawless Bihar than other better governed states in southern and western part of India.  These are specific variations necessitated by peculiar situation in which Bihar has been till now. Very few states, perhaps like UP, Jharkhand, Odisha etc may find some of these policies of Bihar worth emulating but certainly not developed states of south and western India.

Though I do not see much substance in Bihar model, yet it is not to say that Gujarat has got nothing to learn from Bihar and other states. It can certainly borrow a few ideas from other states. Fortunately, Gujarat is not coy about accepting these ideas from other states and is ready to improvise them further. For example, it can borrow from, and in some cases has indeed done so, in relation to:

• Right to Public Services Act from Madhya Pradesh. Though this idea was present as of Bihar origin, it was first pioneered and implemented by more sedate government of Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan in MP.
• Reservations for Women- from Bihar. Paradoxically, it has been JDU which opposed women reservation bill in Lok Sabha. Perhaps, may be justifiably so, to ensure reservation for OBC within reservation.
• Fast Track Courts- from Bihar
• Tourism Development Model- from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat seem to be doing even better now.

It would be in order if JDU ideologues could be more specific. They should add more specific ideas from their Bihar experience to the above list which can be replicated by other states, including Gujarat. JDU would do a good service to this nation if its team could highlight a few components of Bihar’s own development model amounting to inclusive growth. It would be interesting to see how these components have delivered greater goods to minorities compared to the development model followed by Gujarat. If I can be educated on that inclusive model, even I would be keen to champion its cause.

All the criticism of Gujarat Model has veered around its not being inclusive. Critics would find it difficult to justify their charge, but for the following two counts:

1.      Role of Gujarat administration in 2002 riots, administration of the day will have to take flak for the same.

2.      Gujarat governments reported stand against operationalising a few centrally funded scheme specifically target for minorities. For example, reported case of non implementation of scholarship of minority students.

Falling in the realm of ideological battle, these things are difficult to comment upon though. Of course, BJP has some ideological position on minority which lends itself to charges of being against Muslim minority. However, that does not absolve even BJP in Bihar from those charges. Then how has it been that JDU has been working alongside BJP for over last 15 years. If it is the ideological position of BJP that all citizen should be treated on par, it can justifiably take a stand that it would not run any community specific scheme. However, if such an argument were to be accepted then there should not be any scheme for even SC, ST, and OBC etc. In such an enlightened administration, entitlements under various schemes have to be determined solely on merit. Such determination of entitlements has to be based on justifiable objective socio-economic parameters which need to exclude all kind of identity associated with caste, communities and sects. Economist and statistician for sure can help evolve such objective models for determining entitlements so as to reach out to most deserving people in order of priority based on intensity of their deprivation. BJP needs to show consistency in its policy of ‘Integral Humanism’. Otherwise, its ideological position of ‘integral humanism’ and ‘justice to all and appeasement to none’ would not hold good.

Bihar has got to learn a lot from Gujarat model. Similarly, Gujarat has also got to learn at least a few things from the new initiatives in Bihar. Bihar Model versus Gujarat Model should not be made into a battle of civilizations, as would be the wont of self styled ‘The Almighty’ NDTV.  Such wanton opposition as shown by JDU will only harm the interest of state, as its government will be loath to follow even those steps which would naturally occur to it if the same has already been implemented by Gujarat. Moreover, breakdown of NDA alliance will mean that NDA may not get to form the government in 2014. At the same time, chances of reign of JDU in Bihar extending beyond 2015 would also dim. This way, JDU runs the risk of becoming prisoner of its own stance. Development model calls for following the right approaches regardless of whether the same has been followed by someone else earlier or not.  Let there be an open exchange of superior ideas between various development models.