Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that with the development friendly climate, a legacy and a spirit of business, transparent policies and pro-active government, People of Gujarat know how to create business opportunities.

Addressing the captains of industries and business of Karnataka State in Bangaluru in an interactive session, Shri Narendra Modi gave example of the TATA’s Nano Car Project and said that there was overwhelming welcome to it because everyone in Gujarat saw an opportunity in the project which includes Auto-parts industry and employment. Support to TATA’s Nano car project was part of an honest intention to provide support to the group and to honor the sentiments of the industry. Also, With the Nano car manufacturing in Gujarat, the State will have massive Global presence in manufacturing of surface transport systems and will be a partner in fulfilling the dream of millions of people to drive an affordable car, he said.

“In Gujarat investors feel at home,” said Narendra Modi and added that continuity and transparency in policies lends confidence among the investors and reduces their transaction costs in doing business in Gujarat. It also enables the Government to take medium term as well as long term perspectives in setting ambitious goals for achieving high growth rate. A disciplined and contented work force provides an all pervading environment of industrial peace in the state. While Gujarat contributes 16% of the national industrial production, its share in the total man days lost in the country is 0.55%. Sound fiscal management has turned the state from a revenue deficit of Rs. 40.37 billion in 2004-05 into a revenue surplus of Rs. 23.40 billion in 2007-08.

Regarding the prime movers of future growth, he said that Gujarat has the country’s longest coastline of1600 Km and there are functional modern ports servicing the hinterland of India and world markets like Middle East, South Africa and the Europe. Now the strategy is “port-led development” of the State and “integrated coastal development”. Gujarat already has one of the best infrastructures in the country in roads, railways and ports and is now aiming to make it world class. The State’s strength has been a Public- Private Partnership model which the State has evolved, formalized and perfected over a decade.

Interactive session

DMIC & DFC will lead to unprecedented boost in economic activities; he expressed confidence and also said that among new developments, the Government of India (GOI) has proposed the project of Dedicated freight Corridor (DFC) between Delhi and Mumbai. The area of 150 Kms on both sides of the DFC will be developed as the Industrial Corridor. 38% of the length of the DFC is falling in Gujarat. Along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), six industrial nodes have been proposed for the state of Gujarat. Almost one third of the proposed investments of about 90 billion US dollars in DMIC is expected to take place in Gujarat alone. The six industrial nodes are being developed as Global Manufacturing and Commercial Hubs. All kinds of infrastructure both within and outside the nodes also have to be developed with global standards.

Shri Narendra Modi said that Gujarat was amongst the earliest states to enact an SEZ Act in 2004. State has offered complete labour flexibility to the units set up in SEZs in Gujarat. Today, as many as 55 SEZs have been approved in the state. Also, Gujarat is moving to become power surplus: The per capita consumption of electricity in Gujarat is almost three times the national average. The present generating capacity of 13,700 MW will be doubled in next five years to make Gujarat a power surplus state. Moreover, they are aiming at transformation of economy into a gas based economy through Gas Grid and their discovery in this sector. Gujarat has always been known for its quality of roads. The village Roads connectivity is as high as 98.86%. While the statewide road network today extends to 74,111 km, the targeted road length in next five years is 1,14,866 km with several express ways.

He said that Gujarat International Finance Tec City (GIFT) will lead to make Gujarat- An international financial hub: Gujarat has traditionally been a land of entrepreneurs with strong financial acumen. Gujaratis all over the world are active in the finance sector. Therefore, the Government of Gujarat has decided to set up a Finance City between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

Regarding Speedy Communication–an added advantage to business, he said that Gujarat has the country’s longest operational OFC network of more than 50,000 km. The state-owned Wide Area Network (GSWAN) is the largest IP based ICT network in the Asia-Pacific region and the second largest in the world, connecting 26 districts and 225 blocks through 12,000 nodes.

Alongwith physical and industrial infrastructure, the State Government is alive to the requirements of social infrastructure so as to provide an inclusive growth which adds to the quality of life of citizens and new comers. Government is presently working very hard on raising the human development index, he said.

The State is committed to address the issues of sustainable growth particularly the challenges of global warming and have set up cells to sensitize the Government machinery and the people about the challenge and to find out the strategies to reduce green house gas effects. They are keen to make Gujarat a global place for doing business and a place to live at; Shri Narendra Modi said and extended invitation to everyone to attend the Vibrant Gujarat: Global Investors’ Summit-2009 which is the fourth biennial in the series starting from 2003.