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NDA government ready with rehabilitation package for Gujarat

Even as the Election Commission is preparing the grounds for holding assembly elections in Gujarat, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government is ready with a special economic package to rehabilitate victims of the communal riots that hit the state following the Godhra carnage.

Officials said the government is keen to announce the package before the Election Commission comes out with the dates for the assembly elections.

Indications are that the commission would like to hold the Gujarat assembly elections in two phases on December 16 and 19. The Commission is expected to officially announce the dates only by October-end.

The rehabilitation package works out to around Rs 5 billion (Rs 500 crore), officials said.

The details were to be discussed and approved at a Union Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday. But the meeting has been postponed owing to Prime Minister Vajpayee's illness.

Vajpayee, who is suffering from a viral infection, is not expected to attend to any official work for the next two-three days.

The rehabilitation package, targeted specially at Muslims, is expected to boost the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's election campaign in the state.

It includes promise of jobs and houses for riot-affected people under the Swarna Jayanti Samaroh Rozgar Yojana and Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana, the officials said.

The Vajpayee government is also expected to increase projects based on the Food-for-Work programme in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu has convened a meeting of the party's Gujarat election committee on Wednesday. Senior leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, are expected to attend.

Other political parties are also preparing for the Gujarat elections. Senior Congress leaders are expected to meet later this week with state leaders in New Delhi to finalise the campaign plans.

Gujarat Elections 2002: The complete coverage

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