Ex-BJP CM's alternative budget for Gujarat govt emphasises environment, healthcare, education

By Rajiv Shah

A few days ago, I received a phone call from former BJP Chief Minister Suresh Mehta, who resigned from the party in 2007 following differences with the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Now 88, though still active, he told me he had prepared an alternative budget proposal ahead of the Gujarat government's budget session.

I have known Mehta ever since I was assigned to Gandhinagar, the state capital, in 1997 to report on government affairs for The Times of India. A former lawyer who always sought to understand issues independently, he was quite frank about his closeness to A.B. Vajpayee. Though not part of the Sangh Parivar and broadly secular despite being in the BJP, he followed the party line and refrained from criticizing the Sangh Parivar.

Mehta told me, "After analyzing past budgets for several months, I have prepared an alternative budget proposal and submitted it to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. I did this because I believe that if the state government does not make necessary structural changes in the new budget for 2025-26, people's welfare will suffer. I sought an appointment to discuss my proposal but received no response. Hence, I have decided to address the media and release the document."

When I asked Mehta whether he had taken help from an economist, he said he had not, which surprised me. Though he understands budget nuances well—having served as Chief Minister for nearly a year in 1995-96, followed by holding the powerful Industries portfolio from 1998 to 2002—he told the media, at a press conference on February 17, that he got the idea for an alternative budget from Mahesh Pandya, an environmentalist.

Releasing the 28-page document, Mehta told the media that the Gujarat government has been dividing the budget for the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Department into three parts. In the outgoing financial year 2024-25, environmental protection received an allocation of just about ₹40 crore out of the total ₹3 lakh crore budget. On the other hand, climate change received ₹1,200 crore.

"Under the climate change category, the state government provides subsidies to industries setting up so-called green energy units, including solar and wind energy, and new technologies that claim to minimize pollution caused by coal-based power production. Does the government believe that farmers do not suffer due to climate change?" he asked.

Further pointing out that the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), the state’s main regulator for air, water, and land pollution, received zero allocation, Mehta said, "As a result, the GPCB has become dependent on industry, which causes pollution across the state. It certifies industrial units as non-polluting in exchange for fees, which is now its primary source of sustenance. It no longer monitors pollution, something it used to do in the past."

Mehta suggested that this approach is similar to how the state government handles health, education, and child care. "The per-child allocation in 2011-12 was ₹2. For the outgoing financial year, it was ₹8. However, this ₹8 per child allocation conceals a crucial fact: it hides expenses for malnutrition," he said.

"In fact," he continued, "this amount also includes funding for building school classrooms and child care centers. Meanwhile, there have been moves to cut funds for children's morning breakfast programs." He claimed that "nearly 86% of child welfare funds are diverted towards capital expenditure."

Mehta noted, "There has been neglect of social sector spending on health and education in favor of infrastructure development. Huge subsidies are offered to industries in the name of development. Flyovers are considered more important than people's welfare. As a result, debts have risen sharply. In the early 2000s, the state's debt was ₹11,000 crore. By the next financial year, it is expected to reach ₹5 lakh crore."

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov, the artist who survived Stalin's cultural purges

By Harsh Thakor* Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov (September 14, 1885 – April 20, 1964) was a Soviet artist, professor, academician, and teacher. His work was posthumously awarded the Lenin Prize, the highest artistic honour of the USSR. His paintings traced the development of socialist realism in the visual arts while retaining qualities drawn from impressionism. Gerasimov reconciled a lyrical approach to nature with the demands of Soviet socialist ideology.

Public money, private profits: Crop insurance scheme as goldmine for corporates

By Vikas Meshram The farmer in India is not merely a food provider; he is the soul of the nation. For centuries, enduring natural calamities and bearing debt generation after generation while remaining loyal to the soil, this community now finds itself trapped in a different kind of crisis. In February 2016, the Modi government launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) with the stated objective of freeing farmers from the shackles of debt. It was an ambitious attempt to provide a strong safety net to cultivators repeatedly devastated by excessive rainfall, drought, and hailstorms.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

Unpaid overtime, broken promises: Indian Oil workers strike in Panipat

By Rosamma Thomas Thousands of workers at the Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Panipat, Haryana, went on strike beginning February 23, 2026. They faced a police lathi charge, and the Central Industrial Security Force fired into the air to control the crowd.

From non-alignment to strategic partnership: India's ideological shift toward Israel

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* India's historical foreign policy maintained a notable duality: offering sanctuary to persecuted Jewish communities dating back centuries, while simultaneously supporting Palestinian self-determination as an expression of its broader anti-colonial foreign policy commitments. The gradual shift in Indian foreign policy under Hindutva-aligned governance — moving toward a strategic partnership with Israel while reducing substantive engagement with the Palestinian cause — raises legitimate questions about ideological motivation and geopolitical consequence.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

Search This Blog