By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh Government has claimed that 38 out of 102 MoUs signed during the ‘Global Investors’ Summit-2007′ held in Indore, the financial capital of the state, on October 27 and 28 last year has started taking shape.
An official Press release stated that at the Indore Summit, the Madhya Pradesh Government had indeed succeeded in its purpose. The proof of this success is that during only two months after the Summit implementation on 38 out of 102 MoUs amounting Rs. 95,416 crore out of a total of Rs. 1,20,541 crore has begun. These MoUs include Sasson Ultra Mega Power Project of 2960 mw capacity being established in Sidhi district by Messrs. Reliance Power Limited of Reliance Anil Ambani Group. The Rs. 50,000 crore MoU also envisages setting up of a separate thermal power plant at Chitrangi Tehsil in Sidhi district, four cement factories of five million tonnes annual capacity, construction of airport/airstrip in Sidhi district and a technical education institute at Bhopal.
Other under-implementation MoUs include establishment of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Sausar tehsil of Chhindwara district at a cost of Rs. 15,000 crores by Messrs. Chhindwara Plush Developers Private Limited, construction of world-standard residential colonies in Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur at a cost of Rs. 5,000 crore by MRMGF Land Limited, establishment of Greenfield Cement Plant of seven million tonnes annual capacity and 60 mw captive power plants at Satna and Katni at a total cost of Rs. 5,000 crore by Sanghi Industries MP Limited, setting up of a one million tonne capacity coal washery and eight lakh tonne capacity coke oven by Messrs. Ind Synergy Limited at a cost of Rs. 2180 crore and six million tonne capacity cement plant at Katni and 50 mw captive power plant at cost of Rs. 2000 crore by Shri Cement Limited. Implementation on seven other MoUs has also started which are between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1600 crore.
The year 2007 proved to be an august period for the state so far as industrial investments are concerned, the release claimed. Even before the Indore Summit, the state government had received Rs. 1,04,665 crore worth investment proposals to set up 131 units. The investment spree began with Destination Madhya Pradesh at world famous tourist sport Khajuraho which was held from January 15 to 17 where 18 MoUs and 9 EoUIs were signed. Thus in all, the state has got Rs. 2,25,206 crore industrial investment proposals.
In fact, the foundation of these successes was laid by the campaign launched by the state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 7, 2007 on Apravasi Bharatiya Diwas where Chouhan had apprised the investors of industrial investments feasibilities in Madhya Pradesh and had invited them to attend Khajuraho meet.
Later, from May 10 to 20, Chief Minister Chouhan lead a team to London, New York, Los Angeles, St. Luis, St. Jones and other foreign cities and contacted investors by organising road shows, interactive meetings and seminars. On August 10 and 11, the Chief Minister contacted about 250 investors and inspired them to invest in Madhya Pradesh. On August 30, 2007 Chief Minister Chouhan met industrialists of Karnataka at Bangalore and apprised them of the industry-friendly atmosphere prevailing in the state. Indeed, investment to the tune of more than Rs. 2.25 lakh crore could be possible due to continuous efforts undertaken by the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister also saw to it these proposal get practical shape. This is the reason why a large number of MoUs are being implemented in a short duration. When Indore Summit was to be held, the Chief Minister was busy for six days in performing Bhumi Poojan and laying foundation stones of several plants worth Rs. 2250 crore and now Rs. 95,000 crore MoUs are being implemented only two months after the Indore Summit. Under these circumstances, Madhya Pradesh is going to carve out its glittering identity on the global industrial scenario, the release said.
It may be mentioned here that industrialists from the country as well as world had converged at the Indore Summit for apprising themselves with the industrial possibilities and feasibilities available in Madhya Pradesh. The biggest achievement of Madhya Pradesh Government through this summit was that it apprised the industrial houses of international repute with the congenial industrial atmosphere in the state. Through this Summit the state government also succeeded in impressing upon industrialists that central geographical position, cheaper labour as compared to other states, complete industrial peace, facilities of smooth transport and ever-improving infrastructure would help the industrialists a lot in establishing their enterprises in the state. ([email protected])