Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated a newly-constructed state-of-the-art dome-shaped pillar-less Surat International Exhibition and Convention Centre(SIECC) at Sarsana and also opened the five-day seventh trade and industry exhibition Udyog-2010 organized by South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry(SGCCI)

Modi described Surat as a laboratory of development. Modi said Surat is number one in urban development in the country.

Along with Udyog-2010, the SGCCI has organized a handicraft fair. Modi appealed SGCCI to give a platform to organize a Dangi craft fair.

Over 300 companies from banking, insurance, finance, information technology, embroidery, ancillary products, textiles, engineering, electronics and instrumentation sectors are participating. Renowned companies of China, Korea and USA that manufacture textiles and embroidery machinery are also taking part in the fair.

The story of centre

Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry had signed an MOU with the Gujarat government for this convention centre in year 2003 during Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit. Now this Rs 64 crore International Convention Centre is standing over 1.16 lac square meter land.

Leading Textile industrialist of Surat Shri Arun Jariwala, one of the men behind this centre said the convention centre is not just made out of steel and cement but it is the hard work of 40,000 members of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry(SGCCI) that has made this centre. Jariwala said the state government has decided to contribute 10% cost of this trade centre which will come at Rs 7 crore. But instead of 10% if the state is ready to contribute 15%, then the SGCCI would complete the works of second and third buildings of the centre(auditorium, multi-purpose hall and Centre for excellence building) within next 15 months period.

Jariwala said when the chamber representatives went to the Chief Minister with a proposal of centre, the Chief Minister asked to build it at par with Taiwan Convention centre. Today the centre is ready and it is not less than the trade centre of Germany, Dubai or China in any regard.

He said when ex-Commissioner of Surat Municipal Corporation Shri Jagdishan went to Central Commerce ministry as an officer, he approved four clusters for Gujarat and provided Rs 200 crore for Gems and Jewelery Cluster. As this project could not be completed under prescribed cluster, they transferred the fund to Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Convention centre.

Anthony verges, Rajesh Desai, Nilesh Mandlewala, Paresh patel, Hetal Mehta, Chetan Shah, Ajoy Bhattacharya also worked hard for timely execution of this project.

Have a look at SGCCI at its official website