By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Gwalior: Much beyond the expectations of the Madhya Pradesh Government a total of 62 Memoranda of Understandings, (MoUs), worth Rs. 880.18 billion (about US $22.0045 billion) were inked for investment during the two-day Investors’ Meet at the historic town of Gwalior of the state which concluded here on Wednesday. The state government was expecting MoUs worth Rs. 27.43 billion (about US $0.68575) only would be signed during the meet.
On the second day of the Investors’ Meet a total of 49 MoUs worth Rs. 558.77 billion (about US $13.96925 billion) were signed for investment. On the first day, 13 MoUs worth Rs. 321.14 billion (about US $8.0285 billion) were signed.
Of these, 29 were signed for industrial sector for investment of Rs. 424.65 billion (about US $10.61625 billion), one for SADA for investment of Rs. 20 billion (about US $0.5 billion), six in energy sector for investment of Rs. 403.4 billion (about US $10.085 billion), 19 for food processing for investment of 14.03 billion (about US $0.35075 billion), two for Information Technology for investment of Rs. 6.1 billion (about US $0.1525 billion) and five MoUs were signed for higher education sector for investment of Rs. 12 billion (about US $0.3 billion).
Of the total MoUs worth Rs. 114.48 billion (about US $2.862 billion) were inked for Gwalior region of which MoUs worth Rs. 104.76 billion (about US $ 2.619 billion) were for Gwalior division and Rs. 9.72 billion (about US $0.243 billion) for Chambal division. A total investment of Rs. 28.62 billion (about US $0.7155 billion) is proposed in Gwalior district.
It may be mentioned here that on the opening day the Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh Government succeeded in to rope the Japanese investors to the state through which India’s mega project – 1483 km Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, (DMIC), — would pass through. Madhya Pradesh would have four nodes adjoining DMIC – Mhow-Pithampur-Dhar, Ratlam-Nagda, Shajapur-Dewas and Neemuch-Nayagaon – which would be developed as mega industrial estates and $9 billion to 10 billion investment is expected on completion of the project. The DMIC would pass through six states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Delhi.
It may be pointed out here that prior to this, Investors’ Meets were held at Khajuraho, Indore, Jabalpur and Sagar wherein 18, 102, 61 and 36 MoUs respectively were signed worth Rs. 390 billion (about $ 9.784 billion), Rs. 120.541 billion (about $30.13525 billion), Rs. 56829 billion (about $14.207 billion) and Rs. 29548.91 billion (about US $7.413 billion) of proposed investments. Thus, a total 241 MoUs were signed in the four investors’ meet organized by Madhya Pradesh Government wherein there would be proposed investments worth Rs. 245918.91 billion (about US $61.695 billion).
Meanwhile, a beaming Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while addressing the concluding session of the Investors’ Meet said that with the cooperation of investors the state government would add a new chapter of development and prosperity of the state. He said that now the darkness of industrial backwardness has started dispelling. In last nine months since the Global Investors’ Meet at Indore MoUs for investment of about Rs.75 lakh crore have been inked. This creditable achievement shows that Madhya Pradesh is no longer a backward state. The state has woken up to a new dawn, he added.
The Chief Minister announced the setting up of an agricultural university and a music university at Gwalior on the occasion.
Chouhan further said that the state government is committed to ensuring that the MoUs are implemented fully. The Industries Minister would review their progress every two months and he himself would do so every three months. He said that if investors feel any problem they can contact him without appointment between 5 and 6 pm every Monday.
Inviting the investors for investment the Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh is the ideal destination as there is no discrimination based on language, caste or region here. Referring to the success of Gwalior Meet the Chief Minister said that the results are beyond expectations. This shows that Gwalior region is poised for a giant leap. He said that while encouraging the investors and industrialists from outside it would be ensured that local ones get all necessary facilities and concessions to thrive.
Chief Minister released a book “Gopachal Gatha” authored by Jagdish Tomar on the occasion. The book has been published by Madhya Pradesh Madhyam.
The Minister for Industries Jayant Malaiya said that the Gwalior Investors’ Meet has been a great success. The potential and advantages of Madhya Pradesh have been showcased before the investors from all over India as well as abroad during the meet. He said that Gwalior district has been placed under “C” category following which the industrialization of the region would get a boost. He proposed a vote of thanks for all those associated with the event.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included the Minister for Water Resources Anup Mishra, MLAs Narendra Singh Tomar and Dhyanendra Singh, Mayor Vivek Shejwalkar, chairman of M.P. Laghu Udyog Nigam Vipin Dixit, chairman of Gwalior Development Authority Jagdish Verma, SADA chairman Jaisingh Kushwah, chairman of Gwalior Trade Fair Authority Anurag Bansal and vice chairman of India Wools Rajiv Ratan. As many as 100 investors attended the meet.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chouhan had a number of one-to-one meetings with entrepreneurs present in the Investors Meet on Tuesday. Entrepreneurs of big industrial groups of India signed the MoUs to install their industrial units in Gwalior and Chambal regions. Chief Minister himself answered the various queries of entrepreneurs and assured them for the maximum possible assistance. On the occasion, the possibilities of setting up of industrial units of food processing and agro, counter magnet city, tourism, I.T., Health education, non-conventional energy were mainly discussed.
Vinod Mittal of Ispat India; Pankaj Mujar of Hero Motors; Dinesh Oswal of Nahar Group; Raghupati Singhania of J.K. Group; H. Ikava of Bridgestone India; Deepak Puri of Moser Baer; Rakesh Bindal of Valley Iron; Alok Sanghi of Sanghi Group; Manish Agrawal of MSP Group; Dr. Nik Senapati and Miss Stephony Loader of Riotinto were the main entrepreneurs to participate in the one-to-one meetings with the Chief Minister Chouhan. ([email protected])