{"id":29027,"date":"2017-10-07T17:35:32","date_gmt":"2017-10-07T12:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/?p=29027"},"modified":"2017-10-07T17:52:08","modified_gmt":"2017-10-07T12:22:08","slug":"gst-rate-cuts-project-launch-spree-modi-tries-woo-poll-bound-gujarat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/politics\/gst-rate-cuts-project-launch-spree-modi-tries-woo-poll-bound-gujarat\/","title":{"rendered":"With GST rate cuts and project-launch spree, Modi tries to woo poll-bound Gujarat again"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<em>Traders and cloth merchants across Gujarat had been protesting against the GST rollout and could have dented the BJP\u2019s poll prospects later this year<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Terming it an \u201cearly Diwali\u201d, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/topic\/narendra-modi\">Prime Minister Narendra Modi<\/a> looked to assuage dissent among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in poll-bound Gujarat by lauding the government\u2019s move to revise the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates as he addressed the public in Dwarka on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Traders and cloth merchants, who carry substantial clout and influence in the Gujarat\u2019s political landscape, had been protesting against the Modi government\u2019s GST rollout for months as the high tax rates under the new unified tax regime had hit their business hard. It had largely been touted that the unrest among the trader lobby in Gujarat could have dented the BJP\u2019s poll prospects in the state that goes to Assembly elections later this year.<\/p>\n<p>The BJP has managed to stay in power in Gujarat since 1995 despite major political churning and signs of its citadel crumbling on more than one occasion \u2013 most notably after the 2002 post-Godhra pogrom. However, ever since Modi \u2013 who had managed to keep the BJP\u2019s political fortunes in the state on an upswing even after the 2002 riots \u2013 moved to New Delhi as Prime Minister in May 2014, his party\u2019s poll prospects have been uncertain. The state has, since May 2014, seen two chief ministers \u2013 Anandiben Patel and incumbent Vijay Rupani \u2013 and three major long-drawn anti-BJP agitations, first by the party\u2019s loyal votebank \u2013 the Patel\/Patidar community, then from Dalits and most recently by traders affected by the GST rollout.<\/p>\n<p>It is thus difficult to believe that the change in GST rates meant primarily to curb dissent among owners of macro and small enterprises, and traders, cloth merchants and small retailers like Khakra (one of the most popular Gujarati snacks) manufacturing household industries came on the eve of Modi\u2019s two-day visit to his home state ostensibly aimed at kick-starting his party\u2019s poll campaign. Modi\u2019s visit to Gujarat follows a three-day tour of the state\u2019s Saurashtra region by <a href=\"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/topic\/rahul-gandhi\">Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi<\/a> earlier last week during which he hit out at the BJP government for its failure to create jobs and also over the GST rollout.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The change in GST rates that was announced\u00a0<span data-term=\"goog_1929953843\">on Friday<\/span>\u00a0night \u2013 a day after Modi\u2019s \u2018emergency meeting\u2019 with BJP national president Amit Shah and finance minister Arun Jaitley \u2013 has expectedly given the Prime Minister and self-appointed flagbearer of\u00a0<em>Gujarati asmita<\/em>\u00a0an opportunity to flaunt his government and party\u2019s sensitivity towards the concerns of the small and medium scale enterprises and traders.<\/p>\n<p>Stating that he was happy with the reception to the changes in GST, Modi told the public gathering in Dwarka that his government had further simplified the unified tax system.<\/p>\n<p>The stated objective of the public gathering was foundation stone laying ceremony for a four-lane cable stayed signature bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka to be built at a cost of Rs 962.42 crore. However, Modi did not miss to utilize the opportunity to harp about the change in GST rate cuts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday, everywhere it is being said that Diwali has come 15 days ahead. I am happy&#8230; We had said that we will study GST implementation for three months and shall overcome any discrepancies. Our<a href=\"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/topic\/arun-jaitley\"> finance minister (Arun Jaitley)<\/a> convinced everyone in GST council to bring changes,\u201d Modi claimed.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\u201cWhen there is trust in the government and policies are made with best intentions, it is natural for people to support us. I thank people of this country for their support,\u201d Modi asserted.<\/p>\n<p>It is, however, a different matter that the Prime Minister\u2019s tall claims of his government\u2019s sensitivity towards the problems that the public was facing because of what economic experts Opposition leaders and BJP veterans like Yashwant Sinha termed as \u201chasty implementation of GST\u201d also come at a time when the slowdown in India\u2019s economy is being attributed in part to the new tax regime.<\/p>\n<p>Modi also announced the setting up of India\u2019s first and biggest marine police training institute at Mojap in Dwarka district. \u201cI would like to give a gift to the people of Gujarat that will benefit the entire country. For security of coastal area, we are working to modernise marine police who look after coastal security till five km from shore. To help train policemen from across the country, a marine police training and research institute will be set up near Mojap,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Alluding to the rising criticism of his government\u2019s economic agenda, Modi said that development would continue to be the driving force for his government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis generation may have suffered poverty but we would take development to such heights that future generations do not get to see poverty,\u201d the PM said.<\/p>\n<p>Through the course of his two-day visit, Modi is scheduled to address six public meetings at launches of various schemes and projects across three regions of his home state.<\/p>\n<p>After Dwarka, Modi also laid the foundation stone for the Rs 2,500-crore Rajkot International Airport on the outskirts of the biggest city in Saurashtra. He also addressed another public rally at the pilgrim town of Chotila in Surendranagar district.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Modi is also scheduled to dedicate a new building of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar to the nation at a function scheduled for\u00a0<span data-term=\"goog_1929953848\">Saturday<\/span>\u00a0evening.<\/p>\n<p><span data-term=\"goog_1929953849\">On Sunday<\/span>, Modi will visit his birthplace Vadnagar in North Gujarat to inaugurate a Rs 500-crore civil hospital and a medical college, apart from dedicating a re-developed lake and facelift of the Vadnagar railway station.<\/p>\n<p>Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the Rs 1,200-crore Devi Ni Mori International Buddhist complex near Shamlaji in Aravalli district, also in North Gujarat,\u00a0<span data-term=\"goog_1929953850\">on Sunday<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Later, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the Rs 3,000-crore Bhadbhut barrage project over river Narmada, as well as a Rs 650-crore Dahej-Ghogha Ro-Ro ferry service near Bharuch in South Gujarat, before flying off to New Delhi from Vadodara.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Traders and cloth merchants across Gujarat had been protesting against the GST rollout and could have dented the BJP\u2019s poll prospects later this year Terming it an \u201cearly Diwali\u201d, Prime Minister Narendra Modi looked to assuage dissent among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in poll-bound Gujarat by lauding the government\u2019s move to revise the Goods [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":29032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[1778,1399,110],"yst_prominent_words":[24379,24391,24390,24380,24378,24376,16973,16968,20324,24396,24385,18388,24397,24394,16972,3715,24381,4396,24398,24377],"ppma_author":[140543],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/d2r2ijn7njrktv.cloudfront.net\/apnlive\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Modi-in-Guj.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":140543,"user_id":4,"is_guest":0,"slug":"apnnewsdesk","display_name":"APN 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