In last few weeks the corridor of power seen speaking about model of development some says Gujarat Model of Development is good some claiming that Bihar Model of Development is superior.

We will try here to test this hypothesis and will find what the difference between these growth models is?.

It is exchange of ideas always enriches such healthy discussion. Polity can certainly reap further benefits of such directive discussions. Stubbornness on running down others without being specific would not do well to anyone.

Policy makers those who are responsible for shaping the directive and outlook of JD(U) must be more forthcoming, and should discuss specific issues on merits. People of Bihar will certainly appreciate any positive change for their development because state is on growth highway from quite some time but still the destination is far away.

Here we are trying to find problem with ‘The Gujarat Model’. Like any development model, ‘The Gujarat Model’ have their own attributes.

People coming heavily on the Gujarat model need to highlight the logic as, which of the component of Gujarat development model they find fault with.

Gujarat must be given the credit which other states would find worth incorporating their own state. Whether other state governments likes to have these ideas from Gujarat experiment or ideate themselves, particularly they will have to follow in the foot step of Gujarat in course of their progression along the growth 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:

• Gujarat provides Separate feeders for power supply to agriculture where Bihar is struggling to provide electricity in district headquarters villages are still far behind the electricity supply.

• Gujarat went for Linking of rivers and creation of state wide irrigation canal grid.

• Gujarat has constructed all weather roads to all habitations; While Bihar is struggling with maintenance of its rural road.

• Gujarat having Electricity to all habitations, Bihar government has commitments to do so by 2015.

• Gujarat have provided Piped Drinking Water to all habitations, Bihar has no such thing on its agenda.

• Gujarat has provided Piped Gas Grid to all habitations, while Bihar is still dependent of fuel wood.

• Gujarat has done Canal/ Water body top Solar Water Grid,Bihar is also thinking to get solar power from pond.

• Gujarat has provided Village Broadband Connectivity, Bihar is struggling have in urban area.

• Gujarat have their own Urban Administration Model, Bihar have nothing innovative about it.

• Gujarat have gone for professionalization of PSU governance, Bihar have virtually no PSU.

• Gujarat have done the Governance Process Reengineering, Bihar is also doing so.

• Gujarat is doing Governance by Objective, In Bihar it looks more politics than objective.

• Gujarat has adopted River front development and recharging plan Bihar is also going through it.

• Gujarat has proper Industrial development Model ,Bihar has also done it.

• Gujarat follows the management principles 3S model of Project Execution and Program Implementation Bihar has no such concept.

• Gujarat having policy for doorstep delivery of government services Bihar is nowhere near to it.

• Gujarat has successfully launched Co-operative Milk Model, Bihar is also following the model but success is yet to be achieved.

• Gujarat has strong SHG model, Bihar has also launched the initiatives.

• Gujarat is having Economic Infrastructure Development Model, Bihar has also begin with it.

• Gujarat always tries to get their Diaspora by organizing Investor Meet ala ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ Bihar is nowhere near the concept.

• As the Narendra Modi Mantra of 3S comprizing skill, scale and speed and 4P that includes people public private partnership,is really a game changer concepts for every state, including Bihar.

Bihar latest policy on private industrial park is based on the 4P principle.The skill, scale and speed is not a new found principle as it is the basic management tool to get the work done effectively. Ford motors, Japan government, Chinese government and even Atal Bihari Vajpayee went for scale and speed.

The Skill development importance in context of India is amply highlighted in the 11th five year plan document and its follow up is incorporated in draft if 12th FYP. This is not the truth that only 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 but not terming it as Gujarat is pushing it to popularize the concept.

It will be worthless to pronounce, attempts are being made by Bihar government to replicate most of the aforementioned components in the similar fashion whether state politicians openly acknowledge it or not.

There are areas where Bihar government needs to chart different course of action borne out of Bihar’s complex socio-economic realities. While schemes like Bicycle Yojana, Poshak Yojana ,Dress yojna,Award for passing Matriculation Examination might not be required for states like Kerala, TN or even Gujarat, still it would make imminent sense for Bihar as State is on bottom of literacy rate. Similarly, innovative use of arms act has much more relevance for lawless Bihar than other better governed states in southern and western states of the country.

These are specific variations necessitated by the ground reality in which Bihar has been till now. Very few Indian states, perhaps like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha etc may find some of these policies of Bihar worth emulating but certainly not developed states of south and western India.

Bihar has no substance (Innovation) in its governance so we can say it a Bihar model, yet it is not to say that Gujarat has got nothing to learn from Bihar and other states.

It is always good borrowing a few tried and tested ideas from other states as well. 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 publicized 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 looking to be doing even better now.

• 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.

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

• Gujarat governments reported stand against executing 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 tussle amongst political parties, these things are difficult to comment upon though. Bihar has learned a lot from Gujarat success story. Similarly, Gujarat has also got to learn at least a few things from the new initiatives taken in Bihar.

Bihar Model Vs Gujarat Model must not be made into a battle ground, as would be the wont of self styled ‘The Almighty’ NDTV.