AN ANSWER TO AN ANSWER TO JAIRAM RAMESHS PRESS RELEASE AGAINST NARENDRA MODI In a document titled An Answer to Jairam Rameshs press

release against Narendra Modi released on Jan 20, 2014 by A NaMo supporter (who did not want to be named, perhaps because of his/her misinformed propoganda), it was suggested that Gujarat has improved more remarkably than other states on several social indicators related to women in recent years. The facts, as shown in this Note, show otherwise. Gujarats track record under Mr Modi on a whole range of social welfare indicators related to women and children both in absolute terms and relative to other States is abysmal. Mr Modis leadership, is failing the women and children of Gujarat. 1. Female Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): As per the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) conducted by the Census of India, states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, and Punjab show a far greater decline on Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) for females than Gujarat. Even a much poorer State like Bihar has a more impressive performance during this period as shown below:
% age decline % agebetween decline 2006 and % decline between 2006 and 2012 in between 2006 2012and in IMR for % age decline IMR for Females % age decline 2012 in IMR for Females, Tamil % age decline % agebetween decline 2006 and % age decline % age %decline age decline between 2006 and Females, Punjab, 42 41 between Nadu, between 2006 and 2006 % age decline between 2006 and 2012and in IMR for between between 20062006 and and 2012 in IMR for 2012 in IMR 2012 for in IMR forKarnataka, between and 2012 in IMR for 2006 Females, 20122012 in IMR in for IMR for Females, Himachal Females, Females, Delhi, 33 Sikkim, 32 33 Females, 2012 Tripura, in IMRFemales, for Females, Gujarat, Pradesh, 31 Females, Maharashtra, Bihar, 29 2828 29

Bottomline: Mr Modis leadership is failing the girl child of Gujarat

2. Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): The facts on Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) are no different. Gujarats performance in improving MMR in recent years is much worse than States like Rajasthan, Karnataka and West Bengal in terms of performance and improvement shown over the last few years. The graph below says it all:

MMR change in % between 2007-09 & 2010-12

Moreover, between 2004-06 to 2010-12, with significant assistance by the Government of India through the National Rural Health Mission for strengthening the health care system of India, the MMR of India reduced from 254 to 178 (76 point reduction). The reduction in MMR in Gujarat during the same period was from 160 to 122, 38 points only, which was only ~50% that of the all India reduction! Bottomline: Mr Modis leadership is failing the young mothers of Gujarat.

3. Sanitation: On Sanitation, Mr Modi will need to work a lot harder to internalize his Devalaya se Pehle Sauchalaya comment. Gujarats record in terms of the improvement in sanitation coverage between 2001 & 2011 is dismal to say the least, worse than most major States of India, including poorer States, as shown below:

Proportionate improvement in Sanitation Coverage between 2001 & 2011

Bottomline: Mr Modis leadership is failing the families of Gujarat by not being able to ramp up sanitation coverage, even as other States march ahead. 4. Sex Ratio: On Sex Ratio, the story is even worse. Gujarat has the distinction of being worst or among the worst performing states in the country. Overall Sex Ratio: Gujarat is only among 3 states in India who have shown a DECLINE in sex ratio), as per Census 2011. Gujarats sex ratio has declined from 920 in 2001 to 918 in 2011. Sex Ratio for children above the age of 7 years : Gujarats sex ratio on this account has also declined from 927 to 923 between 2001 and 2011. It is only one of two States where this has declined. Bottomline: Once, again, its clear that Mr Modis leadership is failing the women of Gujarat.

5. Child Nutrition: Gujarat is also one of the worst performing state in terms of intake of cereals of children in the most vulnerable age groups, as per the National Nutritional Monitoring Bureaus report for 2012. Interestingly, it is performing significantly worse than even much poorer like Madhya Pradesh and Odisha as shown by the data below: Average intake of cereals (gram/day) in children, 2012 In children 1-3 years
Series1, Series1, Odisha, Karnataka, 147 143 Series1, AP, 123Series1, WB, 115 Series1, TN, 103Series1, Gujarat, 66

In children 4-6 years

Series1, Odisha, Series1, Karnataka, Series1, MP, 223 215 192 Series1, AP, 188 Series1, WB, 172 Series1, TN, 168 Series1, Gujarat, 103

In children 7-9 years

Series1, MP, 273 Series1, Odisha, Series1, Karnataka, Series1, AP, 241 273 239 Series1, WB, 210 Series1, TN, 208 Series1, Gujarat, 141

Bottomline: Mr Modis leadership is failing the hungry children of Gujarat.

The same report has equally shocking findings on the undernutrition in children in Gujarat. Gujarat is one of the worst faring on all the indicators of undernutrition (underweight, stunting and wasting), performing worse than Maharashtra, AP, West Bengal, Karnataka, and several others, as shown below: Caution: On this one big is bad! Nutritional status of Under-Five years old Children, 2012

Underweight, Underweight, AP, Underweight, TN, 36.6 Maharashtra, 34.6 Underweight, Kerala, 31.2 22.6

% Children Underweight Underweight, WB,Underweight,

38.7

Underweight, Gujarat, 52.4

Karnataka, 41.2

Stunting, Gujarat, 53.8 Stunting, Karnataka, Stunting, AP, 44.7 Maharashtra, 44.1 Stunting, WB, 40.2 39.3 Stunting, % Children Stunted Kerala, 22.7 Stunting, TN, Stunting, 21

Wasting, Karnataka, % Children Wasting Wasting, WB, 21.1 Wasting, Wasting, Kerala, 16.5 Wasting, AP, 15 Maharashtra, 14.3 21.9

Wasting, Gujarat, Wasting, TN, 27.2 28.1

Bottomline: Mr Modi is not only failing the women of Gujarat, but even the children the future of Gujarat. In fact, considering these glaringly deficient levels of cereal consumptions by children of Gujarat, Shri Narendra Modi should retract his letter to the Prime Minister opposing the Food Security Act!

6. Gujarats Chiranjeevi Yojana, much propagated and acclaimed by Mr Modi, launched to reduce infant and maternal deaths in rural areas by encouraging institutional delivery, has been, to quote the authors of a new Duke University study, unsuccessful, despite the investment of more than Rs 155 crore since 2005. As the analysis shows, the Scheme HAS NOT: Had any significant impact on institutional delivery rates or birth related complications Had an impact on household expenditure for private sector deliveries -------------

THE PRESENTATION BY THE NAMO SUPPORTER ENDS BY POSING THE RHETORICAL QUESTION: BOLO FEKU KAUN? IN LIGHT OF THE FACTS ABOVE, WE THINK THAT HE/SHE HAS THE ANSWER!