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<p data-start="0" data-end="265"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Gujarat government launched Vikas Saptah, a week-long public outreach initiative from October 7 to 15, showcasing the state&rsquo;s &ldquo;development journey&rdquo; through job fairs, foundation-stone ceremonies, model health centre inaugurations, and cultural events.</span></p>
<p data-start="267" data-end="601"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Announcing the programme, State Health Minister and spokesperson Rushikesh Patel described it as &ldquo;a week of showcasing how policy has translated into people&rsquo;s progress&rdquo;, citing initiatives such as the Vibrant Gujarat investment pledges, SWAGAT grievance redressal, TrueNat diagnostic rollout, and Rozgar Melas.</span></p>
<p data-start="603" data-end="707"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">However, audit reports and official data point to persistent gaps between announcements and execution.</span></p>
<p data-start="709" data-end="1156"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the Vibrant Gujarat summits, while government data claims that 70.9% of MoUs have been commissioned or are under implementation, nearly a quarter remain unfulfilled. In the pharma sector, only 47% of the 2024 summit projects are operational or in progress, and in renewable energy, just 12% of the 58,800 MW capacity promised had been commissioned by 2019 despite investment pledges exceeding&nbsp;Rs 5.48 lakh crore.</span></p>
<p data-start="1158" data-end="1396"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The ambitious Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) continues to face delays due to land disputes, environmental clearances, and legal challenges. Several fraud cases invoking Dholera&rsquo;s name underline the risks of weak monitoring.</span></p>
<p data-start="1398" data-end="1655"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Rozgar Melas also face scrutiny, with reports indicating that many appointment letters represent promotions or pending confirmations rather than new jobs. The lack of data on job retention and wages makes assessing true employment gains difficult.</span></p>
<p data-start="1657" data-end="1961"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Health initiatives show mixed progress. The TrueNat diagnostic network expanded TB testing capacity, with officials claiming a 34% reduction in TB cases and a 37% fall in mortality since 2015. Yet, audits reveal cartridge shortages, maintenance delays, and staff shortages in rural centres.</span></p>
<p data-start="1963" data-end="2241"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) recently reported that Rs 1,736 crore allocated for construction workers&rsquo; welfare remained unutilised, with just 32% of funds spent over 17 years. Of 31 schemes, 13 were discontinued or suspended between 2017 and 2022.</span></p>
<p data-start="2243" data-end="2464"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">While Gujarat&rsquo;s revenue receipts rose from Rs 1.42 lakh crore (2019&ndash;20) to Rs 2.22 lakh crore (2023&ndash;24), nearly 80% of expenditure went to salaries and pensions, leaving little room for capital projects.</span></p>
<p data-start="2466" data-end="2634"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The overall picture is one of strong intent but uneven delivery&nbsp;impressive in outreach and announcements, but weaker in execution, transparency, and monitoring.</span></p>
<p data-start="2636" data-end="2835" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">For Vikas Saptah to go beyond symbolism, experts say Gujarat needs stronger district-level audits, transparent MoU tracking, and evidence-based reviews to truly align policy with public progress.</span></p>
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Gujarat’s Vikas Saptah: Progress or PR Event?

Official claims of success during Vikas Saptah contrast with audits and field data

Gujarat’s Vikas Saptah: Progress or PR Event?

Official claims of success during Vikas Saptah contrast with audits and field data

October 7, 2025 | 23:34 IST