Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel has completed three years of Good Governance in Gujarat. Assuming office on September 13, 2021, the CM has consistently advanced the development journey initiated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Under his decisive leadership, Gujarat has achieved significant milestones, including the successful hosting of the G20 meetings and the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. The state is now on the path to becoming a hub for semiconductors and renewable energy. Over these three years, Shri Bhupendra Patel has introduced 11 key policies, further cementing Gujarat’s status as a policy-driven state. In three years of dedicated service to the people of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel and his 'Team Gujarat' have spurred rapid growth across all sectors. Committed to realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 through Viksit Gujarat, the Gujarat Government continues its transformative journey. Let us go through the key schemes, initiatives, policies, and milestones achieved during the Chief Minister's impactful three-year tenure.
Launch of 11 New Policies:
Gujarat Atmanirbhar Policy
Gujarat Biotechnology Policy
New Gujarat IT/ITes Policy
Gujarat Sports Policy
Drone Policy
Gujarat Semiconductor Policy
Gujarat Renewable Energy Policy
Cinematic Tourism Policy
Student Start-up and Innovation Policy 2.0 (SSIP-2.0)
Gujarat Procurement Policy
Gujarat Green Hydrogen Policy
Good Governance Highlights:
Budget Allocation of ₹3.32 Lakh Crore for the People of Gujarat: A Holistic Development Roadmap Including 5G, Garvu Gujarat (Proud Gujarat), Gunvantu Gujarat (Qualitative Gujarat), Green Gujarat, Global Gujarat, and Gatishil Gujarat (Progressive Gujarat)
Successful Organization of the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024
Gujarat is the first state in the country to create a roadmap for 'Viksit Gujarat @2047,' driven by the mantra "Earning Well, Living Well."
The state effectively weathered the 'Biparjoy' storm with a zero-casualty approach, successfully avoiding major casualties and damage.
In 2023, India chaired the G20 for the first time, with Gujarat hosting 17 G20 meetings, highlighting its culture and prosperity on the global stage.
Gujarat completed the construction of 2,649 Amrit Sarovars, exceeding the target of 2,475 and achieving 107% of the goal.
The Chief Minister's Office earned ISO 9001:2015 certification.
The Chief Minister's Office introduced an official WhatsApp channel to provide detailed information about the Chief Minister’s public programs and development initiatives.
Gujarat ranked first in the Sustainable Development Goals Index released by NITI Aayog for the second consecutive time, excelling in health facilities and well-being.
Empowering the Underprivileged: Advancing Development for the Poor, Deprived, Tribals, and Laborers
Plans are underway to build comfortable temporary housing, called Shramik Basera, for approximately 3 lakh construction workers at a cost of ₹1,500 crore over the next three years.
Over 1.17 crore unorganized labourers have been registered and given smart cards through the e-Shram portal.
Successful Implementation of ₹1 lakh crore Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana 2.0
Under the Shramik Annapurna Yojana, 290 food distribution centres have been set up in 19 districts, serving meals for 2.68 crore people to date.
Over 14 lakh houses have been constructed in Gujarat under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Free food grains are distributed to over 72 lakh NFSA cardholder families; 3.82 crore people in the state will now be covered under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
Youth Development – Successful Youth – Empowered Gujarat
Gujarat has been ranked first as the best-performing state in the country for four consecutive years, according to the Startup Ranking by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India.
To integrate education with skills, the establishment of Kaushalya – The Skill University (KSU) to provide essential skills to youth and create job opportunities through its "Skill Smart" initiative.
Kaushalya – The Skill University launched 9 advanced drone application courses from January 2024.
Kaushalya The Skill University is the only government university in the country to receive a "Type Certificate" for manufacturing small-category drones, and the only institution in the state, both in the government and private sectors, to do so.
Guided by Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, the Sardar Patel Good Governance CM Fellowship Program has welcomed 18 fellows to work alongside the government.
To boost sports infrastructure, 24 district sports complexes are now operational across 22 districts.
The Khel Mahakumbh 2.0 in 2023 saw the participation of over 53.66 lakh people.
State Government's Historic decision to establish government libraries in 50 talukas across 21 districts in the state.
Respecting Farmers, Supporting Their Growth
₹11,058.59 crore has been directly transferred to the bank accounts of 58.79 lakh farmer families under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
The Dangs district became the first in the state to achieve 100% natural farming. Over 53 lakh farmers across the state have been trained in natural farming, with 9.85 lakh actively practising it on more than 8.45 lakh acres of land.
The prevalence of nano urea has increased, with 56.65 lakh bottles (500 ml each) consumed.
iNDEXT-a was established to promote entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector and centralize agricultural information on a single portal.
Around 15 lakh farmers have adopted the micro irrigation system, covering an area of 23.4 lakh hectares.
A power subsidy of ₹24,660 crore was provided to farmers over the past three years.
Under the Kisan Suryoday Yojana, 13,730 villages, accounting for 76% of the state's total, receives daytime electricity, enhancing the quality of life for farmers.
The Ravi Krishi Mahotsav 2023 was successfully held in 246 talukas across the state, with more than 2.10 lakh farmers in attendance. They received technical guidance from agricultural scientists and experts from agricultural universities.
Support prices were set at ₹7,000 per quintal for tuver, ₹5,440 per quintal for Chickpeas, and ₹5,650 per quintal for mustard seeds.
Due to an increase in Chickpeas production in 2021-22, an additional 22,000 metric tonnes of Chickpeas were procured by the State Government at a cost of over ₹115 crore, beyond the quantity sanctioned by the Government of India.
Under the Government of India’s initiative, 3,233 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) have been onboarded as Common Service Centers (CSCs) to improve e-services accessibility, with 1,812 PACS now operational.
A total of ₹1925.89 crore has been provided to 12,78,600 affected farmer beneficiaries under various agricultural relief packages.
A new agricultural relief package of ₹350 crore has been announced for farmers in areas affected by heavy rains in Gujarat in July 2024.
In the past three years, the budget for the animal husbandry sector has increased by 132%.
The assistance of ₹609 crore was disbursed under the "Mukhya Mantri Gau-Mata Poshan Yojana."
During the outbreak of lumpy skin disease, 63 lakh healthy cattle were vaccinated.
Approximately 80 lakh people and farmers in the state benefited from the Millet Year.
Women's Empowerment (Empowered Women, Empowered Family)
The Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana was launched to provide nutritious meals to pregnant and lactating women for 1,000 days—270 days during pregnancy and 730 days after childbirth. Over 5 lakh mothers have benefited from this scheme.
The Nari Gaurav Niti-2024 was introduced for women's empowerment.
The Poshan Sudha Yojana, which provides a one-time complete nutritious meal to pregnant and lactating women, has been expanded. Originally piloted in five tribal districts, the scheme is now active in 106 talukas across 14 tribal districts in Gujarat.
In 2023, the gender budget surpassed ₹1 lakh crore for the first time, supporting over 200 women-specific schemes. For 2024-25, the budget has expanded to 1,24,310 cr, funding a total of 804 women empowerment schemes.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, committed to women’s empowerment, introduced the 'Namo Drone Didi Yojana' in 2023. This program focuses on economically empowering women by training them to use drones for spraying fertilizers and pesticides, incorporating advanced agricultural technology in Gujarat.
Healthy Gujarat, Prosperous Gujarat
The assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana - Mukhyamantri Amrutam (PMJAY-MA) for citizens of Gujarat has been increased from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated AIIMS Rajkot, a state-of-the-art hospital featuring advanced diagnostic, treatment, and super-speciality facilities, built at a cost of ₹1,195 crore.
More than 2.6 crore citizens in Gujarat receive free healthcare services through Ayushman cards.
The Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program (PMNDP) has introduced 188 new dialysis centres at the taluka level across all districts, bringing the total number of dialysis centres in the state to 270.
A total of 35 day care chemotherapy centers have been established in the state, where over 63,000 patients have received 1,69,066 chemotherapy sessions.
Digital Health Card: Gujarat is the only state to offer Digital Health Cards to students (1.15 crore) following health screenings starting June 12, 2023, as part of a unique state initiative. This program integrates the "TeCHO" and "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" portals to provide Digital Health Cards to students, teachers, and parents and includes plans for a "Holistic Report Card" for students.
Under the 108 Emergency Ambulance Service, 150 new ambulances have been added, raising the total from 650 to 800.
The Free Diagnostic Service Initiative (FDSI) has increased laboratory tests at sub-district hospitals from 33 to 111 and at district hospitals from 68 to 134, improving access to quality tests for the rural population.
In the past three years, 9 new medical colleges have opened in Gujarat, offering a total of 1,100 medical seats.
Under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, 10,029 Nikshay Mitras have been registered on the Nikshay portal and have distributed 300,727 nutrition kits to TB patients, establishing Gujarat as the leading state in this initiative.
The Namo Shree Yojana, launched in 2024, provides financial assistance of ₹12,000 to pregnant women for institutional deliveries.
Under the National Eye Donation Campaign (2022-23 to July 2024), 14 lakh successful cataract operations have been performed in Gujarat.
Educated Gujarat, Advancing Gujarat
The Vidya Samiksha Kendra was launched to offer real-time insights into Gujarat's education system.
As part of the Mission Schools of Excellence, 97,187 smart classrooms were established at a cost of ₹874.68 crore, and 21,037 computer labs were created at a cost of ₹1,432.40 crore across the state.
The Shala Praveshotsav 2024 successfully concluded, with the inauguration of 6,685 classrooms, 7,878 computer labs, and 26,570 smart classrooms.
The 'Namo Lakshmi' scheme was launched to reduce dropout rates among female students in secondary and higher secondary education by offering ₹50,000 in scholarships over four years, from class 9 to 12.
To encourage students to pursue science in classes 11 and 12 without financial constraints, the 'Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana' provides ₹25,000 in financial assistance.
Dynamic Gujarat in the Industrial Sector
The 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, themed 'Gateway to the Future,' concluded successfully. This milestone event saw the participation of over 61,000 delegates from more than 140 countries. The summit featured 150 seminars and programs, along with 2,862 B2B meetings and 1,368 B2G meetings.
"Atmanirbhar Gujarat Schemes for Assistance to Industries" Announced.
Gujarat will be the only state in India to have four operational semiconductor plants. Micron's semiconductor facility in Sanand, backed by a ₹22,500 crore investment, is advancing swiftly. A joint venture between CG Power, Renesas Electronics Corporation, and Stars Micro Electronics will launch a plant with an investment of ₹7,600 crore. Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd, in collaboration with Power chip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, will establish a semiconductor fabrication unit in Dholera with an investment of ₹91,000 crore. Keynes Semicon's plant in Sanand, with an investment of ₹3,300 crore, will produce 60 lakh chips per day.
Under Aatmanirbhar Gujarat, MSMEs are receiving ‘Assistance for Quality Certification’ facilities to deliver high-quality products in a competitive market. This scheme also provides financial support for ZED (Zero Defect, Zero Effect) certification. Gujarat currently boasts over 38,000 ZED-certified MSMEs, ranking it as a top performer in this area.
The Semicon India Summit 2023 was successfully organized at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar.
New data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, reveals that Gujarat attracted $7.3 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the financial year 2024. This marks a significant increase of $2.6 billion from the previous year.
A PM MITRA Park will be developed at Vansi-Borsi in Navsari, featuring advanced facilities.
Excellent Transportation Services for Citizens
New bus stations have been inaugurated at 32 locations, costing ₹94.65 crore, while bus ports with airport-like amenities have been launched at 3 locations under the PPP model, with an investment of ₹66.32 crore.
The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has launched 2,987 new buses into public service. This fleet includes 300 luxury buses, 200 semi-luxury coaches, 400 sleeper coaches, 1,682 super express buses (comprising 400 in-house and 1,282 ready-built), 400 midi buses, and 5 double-decker electric buses.
An e-ticketing system has been introduced to allow Divyang people to purchase tickets from home easily. Tickets can now be booked through an Android mobile application.
To enhance convenience for citizens, online payments via UPI have been introduced on ST buses, with 3,000 machines provided for this purpose.
To improve convenience for citizens, UPI payment options have been introduced on ST buses, with 3,000 machines installed for seamless transactions.
Gujarat’s Energy Transformation
In August 2024, Gujarat's renowned Ukai, Kadana, Panam, and Sardar Sarovar dams generated a total of 1,067.3 million units (MU) of electricity.
To date, Gujarat has installed 3,023 solar rooftop systems with a total capacity of 56.8 MW on various government buildings. For the year 2024-25, an additional 48 MW of solar rooftop systems are planned for installation across the state's government buildings.
In just a year and a half, since Modhera village was designated as a solar village, it has generated 31.5 million units of green energy, leading to a reduction of 28,664 tons in carbon emissions. Under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, 1,59,338 beneficiaries have received benefits within seven months.
With over 1,000 CNG stations, Gujarat ranks first in the country, accounting for 14% of India's total CNG stations.
A 12.5 MW solar PV project, constructed at a cost of ₹51.87 crore, was inaugurated in Kalavad, Jamnagar.
The construction of the world's largest 37 GW hybrid renewable energy park is underway.
For the first time, Gujarat is hosting the 4th Renewable Energy Summit.
In just 7 months, more than 1 lakh 45 thousand homes in Gujarat have been connected to PNG (Piped Natural Gas).
In 2022, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the world’s first CNG terminal at a brownfield port in Bhavnagar. This pioneering project will be developed at a cost of ₹4,024 crore.
Earning Well, Living Well (Urban Development and Rural Development)
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase-1 of the Ahmedabad Metro in September 2022. The inauguration of Phase 2 is upcoming, and work is actively progressing on the Surat Metro project.
To enhance infrastructure and improve the Ease of Living in the cities of Gujarat, the Mukhyamantri Swarnim Jayanti Shaheri Yojana has been extended for an additional three years.
The government plans to establish 88 new civic centres with an investment of ₹116 crore to enhance civic services for urban residents.
Under the Smart City Mission, 159 projects valued at ₹3400 crore have been successfully completed.
The AMRUT scheme has seen the completion of 198 projects, worth ₹3,350 crore, including parks, water facilities, sewage systems, and lake development across various municipal corporations. An additional ₹17,000 crore has been allocated for similar projects under AMRUT 2.0.
The 9 municipalities of Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Mehsana, Surendranagar/Wadhwan, Porbandar/Chhaya, and Nadiad have been upgraded to Municipal Corporation status.
The Dwarka-Okha Urban Development Authority has been established to oversee holistic development, focusing on both religious and tourism initiatives.
As part of its rural development initiatives, 51 villages in 20 districts have been designated as Smart Villages. Additionally, the Gujarat Fiber Grid Network Limited project under BharatNet Phase-2, with an investment of ₹2,042 crore, has been inaugurated. This project will significantly enhance connectivity for 8,030 gram panchayats.
A total of 1,502 villages have been awarded, including 1,057 under ‘Teerth Gam’ and 445 under ‘Pavan Gam.’
384 new Gram Panchayats have been created by splitting larger Panchayats that served multiple villages. This ensures that rural citizens can access government services locally without travelling to the main village.
Tourism and Pilgrimage Development
For the first time, Gujarat hosted the Filmfare Awards at GIFT City.
Dhordo in Kutch has been honoured as the “Best Tourism Village” by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
India's first “Samudra Seema Darshan” was launched at the Lakki Nala area near Koteshwar in Kutch.
UNESCO's prestigious Prix Versailles Award for architecture and design has named Bhuj's Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum one of the world's seven most beautiful museums.
Garba, a symbol of Gujarat’s pride and cultural heritage, has been declared an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO.
Lord Shri Krishna's city, Bet Dwarka, will undergo a world-class transformation in a three-phase development project, starting with an allocation of ₹150 crore for the first phase. The redevelopment will enhance the area from the main temple to the beach, involving significant investment. 'North Padam Beach,' renowned for dolphin sightings, will be developed into a premier tourist destination.
The newly reconstructed Mahakali temple in Pavagadh celebrated a historic moment as a flag was hoisted on its Shikhar for the first time in 500 years.
Significant development of smaller pilgrimage centres surrounding major ones has been carried out at a cost of ₹857.14 crore.
As part of the first phase of the Bahucharaji Mataji Temple reconstruction, the height of the Shikhar will be increased to 86 feet 1 inch. The rebuilding project will cost ₹76.51 crore.
As part of the ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative, the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam event was held in Somnath.
Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram will be redeveloped at a cost of ₹1,200 crore, featuring world-class amenities.
Water-Rich Gujarat
The Astol project, an engineering marvel, was inaugurated to supply water to 174 remote tribal villages and 1,028 hamlets in the hilly areas of the Valsad district, benefiting 4.50 lakh people.
In the seventh phase of the Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyaan, the water storage capacity was increased by 11,523 million cubic feet.
Under the concept of Catch the Rain, the state launched the "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Abhiyan."
Under the Nal Se Jal Yojana of the Jal Jeevan Mission, 14 lakh tap connections have been provided over the past three years to provide drinking water to rural areas across Gujarat.
Bulk pipeline projects worth ₹1,300 crore have been completed to address the future drinking water needs of Saurashtra and Kutch districts, boosting the state’s water supply grid capacity by 760 MLD.
Projects valued at over ₹400 crore have been initiated to provide irrigation facilities to 39 villages in the Nalkantha area.
The foundation stone for Link-4 of the SAUNI scheme was laid in Vinchiya, Rajkot district, with an investment of ₹181 crore. This project will supply drinking and irrigation water to around 45,000 people across 23 villages and 5,676 acres of land.
A ₹417 crore scheme has been approved to deliver Narmada water to 45 villages across three talukas in Surendranagar district, addressing the current shortage of irrigation facilities.
Chhab Lake, a historic landmark in Dahod, was rejuvenated with an investment of ₹117 crore.
World-Class Infrastructure
The iconic Atal Foot Over Bridge has been built over the Sabarmati River.
Rajkot is now home to the world-class Hirasar Greenfield Airport.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sudarshan Bridge, which connects Okha and Bet Dwarka, at a cost of ₹978.93 crore.
The runway at Air Force Station Deesa, a strategically important asset for national defence, was inaugurated with an investment of ₹394 crore.
The Surat Diamond Bourse has been inaugurated, making Gujarat the location of the world’s largest corporate office hub.
Gujarat’s third international airport in Surat is now operational.
Plans are underway to build a new airport in Dwarka and expand the Keshod Airport.
Development has been approved for 30 skyscrapers across Ahmedabad, Surat, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. This vertical development has significantly increased local revenues, including approximately ₹1,000 crore from premium FSI.
Gujarat: Peaceful & Secure State
Gujarat Police Seizes ₹5,640 Crore Worth of Drugs in One Year, Protecting Youth from Narcotics: 317 Cases Filed Against 431 Accused
To support middle-class victims of cybercrime, the Gujarat Police worked relentlessly to unfreeze over 2.58 lakh bank accounts within 20 days. Currently, a total of 2.70 lakh accounts have been restored.
Gujarat has set a national precedent for swift justice by processing POCSO cases from filing to execution in just 21 days.
650 new IT experts will be appointed across district police stations, and 200 PSO-level outposts will be upgraded to PSI level.
Gujarat has unanimously passed the Abolition Bill to tackle human sacrifice and other inhumane practices, such as black magic.
A new, stringent law has been enacted to combat malpractices in public recruitment and board examinations. The government is committed to protecting the future of the youth by enforcing stricter penalties for misconduct in government recruitment exams.
The Gujarat Special Courts Act, 2024, was enacted to confiscate assets acquired through corrupt and criminal activities.
Others:
The Gujarat State Institution for Transformation (GRIT) has been established, modelled after the Centre's Niti Aayog. This organization will play a key role in supporting the state's strategic growth.
Gujarat has achieved the second-highest ranking nationwide in the 'Ek Ped Maan Ke Naam' campaign, inspired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, with over 9 crore trees planted to date.
Bhakta Kavi Narsingh Mehta International Research Center will be created to protect manuscripts and works of Gujarat’s medieval poets, preserving this invaluable heritage.
Garvi Gurjari has set a new record with over ₹25 crore in sales of handicrafts and handloom products, marking a significant milestone in the state's 50-year history.
Under 'Operation Ganga,' 1,386 Gujarati students were repatriated from the conflict in Ukraine, and 14 students were safely returned from Bangladesh amid violence.
'Operation Kaveri' successfully repatriated 569 non-resident Gujaratis from Sudan, while 'Operation Ajay' brought 30 non-resident Gujaratis back from Israel.
Gujarat’s Prestigious Awards: Maru Gujarat and Sreshth Gujarat
According to the Employment Exchange Statistics-2023, Gujarat leads the nation in employing job-seeking youth.
The State Government has earned 7 prestigious awards for excellence in transparent procurement through the GeM portal.
Gujarat tops the Export Performance pillar in the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2022, leading among four key pillars.
According to the RBI Bulletin, banks and financial institutions have demonstrated exceptional confidence in Gujarat's development projects, financing 82 projects in the state.
At the 75th Republic Day Parade, Gujarat's tableau won the People's Choice Award for the second consecutive year.
The Gujarat Government’s 'Garvi-Gurjari' has been officially recognized as a Government of India trademark, marking a major milestone for the Gujarat State Handicrafts and Handicrafts Development Corporation.
At the India Animal Health Summit-2022, Gujarat was awarded the “Best State in AH Infrastructure” title.
Vidya Samiksha Kendra was honoured with the "Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration"
Gujarat also received the 'Ayushman Excellence Award 2022' from the Government of India for issuing the highest number of Ayushman cards under the PMJAY-MA scheme.
On January 8th, IKF-2023 at Riverfront Ahmedabad achieved a Guinness World Record for the largest number of people simultaneously flying kites.
Disclaimer: The above is a contributor post, the views expressed are those of the contributor and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.
