Jaipur, PTI

Rajasthan government today presented a comprehensive scenario of opportunities for investment and highlighted its initiatives to boost growth in the desert state by attracting business people from across the globe.

Solar energy, automotive, urban development, IT-enabled services and defence manufacturing were some of the segments which were highlighted as potential sectors for investment in a special session on ‘Resurgent Rajasthan’ on the second day of Partnership Summit 2015 here.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, while listing the government’s initiatives for creating a positive environment to provide investors ease of doing business, said the government’s thrust was on encouraging investment and creation of job opportunities.

“I believe that the time has come for the state to showcase what it is capable of and with confidence invite people to come to Rajasthan and make in Rajasthan and support Government of India,” Raje said, adding that the state was one of the leading economies in the country.

She said the government’s aim was to triple the economy growth in the years to come for which massive effort was on.

She also said her government is committed to simplifying and rationalizing regulations and laws, and especially mentioned the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme launched in 2014, and the reforms in labour laws, as measures that would boost investments.

Raje said that solar energy would be a major strength of the state in the years to come. Investment will come if electricity and roads are good. We have the least amount of water but this is the priority area for us. We are making a huge effort to interlink our water basins to handle seasonal water crisis. We are trying to lay drinking water grid for easy offtake of water from surface and to recharge groundwater,? she said while inviting ideas from private players to make it more comprehensive.

The Chief Minister said that a lot of hard work was needed to make the environment business friendly and said the state was trying to take lead. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit had stated that we want to make India the easiest place to do business… very nice to say but not so easy to do it.It needs lot of hard work from all of us, she pointed out before elaborating on policy and labour reforms and simplification of processes by the state government.

She also informed the gathering that the government, in a bid to make things easier, has decided to give incentives for investment in backward and tribal districts.

Rajasthan Industries Minister Gajendra Singh presented the vision of the Raje government and highlighted the measures taken by the government to boost growth in the state.

He said that proximity of the state to the national capital, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor which is passing via the state, availability of land at cheaper rates, availability of electricity, law and order situation were some of the factors which played a positive role in attracting investment.

The Minister said that the state?s potential and opportunity for investment will be focused in ‘Resurgent Rajasthan’ event to be held in November by state government.

“States like Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu are ahead of us because Rajasthan started (development) late but now it is doing fast. We are trying to fine-tune industry policy and our emphasis is on skill development,” he said.

He also invited industrialists to come forward to develop sports facilities in existing stadiums in the state, particularly under CSR activity.

On the occasion, Principal Secretary, Industries, Veenu Gupta gave a presentation on potential and opportunities in the state in areas of solar energy, automotive, ceramic glass, IT enabled Services, electronic hardware, defence manufacturing, tourism and urban infrastructure.

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