Prime Minister inaugurates Destination U’khand – Global Investors’ Summit
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 8 Dec: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the Uttarakhand Global Investors’ Summit at the FRI Campus, here, today. The PM also did a walkthrough of the exhibition and unveiled the Ground Breaking Wall on this occasion. He also launched the state’s brand, House of Himalayas, and a book titled ‘Sashakt Uttarakhand’.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and a many other leading industrialists also addressed the gathering. The theme of the Summit is ‘Peace to Prosperity’.
In his address, the Prime Minister reminded the gathering of his connection with Uttarakhand. He said that Uttarakhand had a significant role in making him what he is today. He also reminded what he had said, that this decade is the decade of Uttarakhand, and called upon the investors to contribute towards the development of the state. He promised that he would ensure that the Jawani (Youth) and the Paani (Water) of Uttarakhand would not go waste anymore and would be able to serve the people of the state. He also recalled the recent rescue of 41 workers trapped in a tunnel in Silkyara and thanked all those involved, including the state government, in the rescue operation. He also called upon the entrepreneurs to support the “Vocal for Local and Local for Global” scheme by promoting local products and promoting export of these products, particularly local healthy food like millets, etc., making them popular at the global level. Stating that Uttarakhand had tremendous potential for Theme Based Tourism, he called upon all the investors present today to conduct their family weddings in Uttarakhand, instead of choosing foreign destinations. He said that, along with ‘Made in India’, ‘Wed in India’ should also be aggressively promoted.
Modi also praised the state government, stating that Uttarakhand is a truly functional double engine government that is honestly implementing all the Central as well as state schemes for the welfare of the people and for all round development. The PM also recited a poem written by him to express his connection and feelings about Uttarakhand, its divinity and culture. Referring to the investors present on the occasion as leaders of the e-industry, the PM drew the analogy of a SWOT analysis carried out by the multinationals and emphasised performing this exercise for the nation. He highlighted that, in the case of a nation, the SWOT analysis would indicate an abundance of aspirations, hope, self-confidence, innovation and opportunities.
Referring to the recent victory of the BJP in the assembly elections, he said that people are more aware and aspirational, now, as compared to the past and they vote for a stable government because that can ensure policy-driven governance and resolve the problems of the people. He said that people are now voting on the basis of good governance and the track record of the government. He highlighted the country’s capability to move forward at a record pace irrespective of the COVID pandemic and the unstable geo-political scenario. He pointed out that, in the times of Corona, the people placed their trust in the country’s capability to meet this crisis effectively.
Expressing confidence that the BJP would win the Parliamentary elections for the third consecutive time, Modi promised that, in his third term, India would become the third largest economy in the world. India stands in a league of its own when compared to the other large economies of the world, he asserted. He noted that states like Uttarakhand are reaping the benefits of this strength. He reiterated that the state government is working keeping in mind the local realities while the Union Government is making unprecedented investments in Uttarakhand. Both levels of government are augmenting each other’s efforts. Referring to the work underway in rural areas and the Char Dham, the Prime Minister claimed the day is not far when the distance between Delhi-Dehradun will be reduced to two and half hours of travel time. Dehradun and Pantnagar airports’ extension would also strengthen air connectivity. Heli-taxi services are being expanded in the state and rail connectivity is being strengthened. He noted that the infrastructure growth will create new opportunities for agriculture, industry, logistics, storage, tourism and hospitality. Modi also reminded that, unlike the previous governments, for the present Government, development of border areas and villages is a top priority. They are not the last villages of India but the first. He mentioned the Aspirational Districts and the Aspirational Blocks Programme where the emphasis is being laid on villages and regions that lagged in development parameters.
He highlighted the untapped potential of Uttarakhand and urged the investors to make the most of it.
The PM emphasised that Uttarakhand is blessed with nature, culture and heritage and this should be turned into a brand. He stressed the investors to make it a priority to explore and create opportunities in the Yoga, Ayurveda, Teertha and adventure sports sectors. PM Modi appealed to the rich, the affluent and the youth of the country to initiate the movement, ‘Wed in India’, along the lines of ‘Make in India’. He requested every affluent family in the country to hold at least one marriage ceremony in Uttarakhand in the next five years. He said that even if 5000 weddings take place in a year in Uttarakhand, a new infrastructure would come into place and transform the state into a wedding destination for the world.
The PM said that, in the past, crores of people have been brought above the poverty line in the country. Those who have come out of poverty are driving the economy by consuming more. The neo-middle class is also spending more on their needs which is creating further possibility of growth. He emphasised the importance of exploring the global market for marketing local products and urged the investors to identify such products in different districts. He also urged them to explore possibilities of engaging with women’s self-help groups and FPOs. This could be a wonderful partnership to make local-global, he added. Highlighting the Lakhpati Didi Abhiyan, the PM underlined his resolve to create two crore Lakhpati Didis from the rural regions in the country. The initiative would gain momentum with the launch of the House of Himalayas brand. He also thanked the Uttarakhand government for the initiative.
The Prime Minister said that there is a need to come out of the mentality of cheap exports and prioritising capacity building. He mentioned a Rs 15 lakh crore import bill for petroleum and a Rs 4 lakh crore import bill for coal. He elaborated on the efforts to reduce the import of pulses and oilseeds as even today India imports Rs 15,000 crore worth of pulses.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also addressed the gathering and called upon the investors to invest freely in Uttarakhand and promised that they would be facilitated at every level by the government. He reminded that many policies had been reformed by the state to make them favourable for the investors.
Industry leaders also expressed their views on the occasion. Pranav Adani, Director, Adani Group, and Managing Director (Agro, Oil & Gas), said that Uttarakhand has become one the most attractive destinations for private sector investment because of the state’s approach to its growth and development in recent times with an unbeatable combination of single-point clearances, competitive land prices, affordable power and efficient distribution, highly skilled manpower and proximity to the national capital, and a very stable law and order environment. Adani also elaborated on his plans to expand in the state and bring in more investment and jobs.
Sajjan Jindal, Chairman and Managing Director of JSW, highlighted the Prime Minister’s connections with the state of Uttarakhand, which he said he had experienced firsthand on seeing the development projects of Kedarnath and Badrinath. He praised the efforts of the Prime Minister for changing the face of the nation and mentioned the parameters of GDP growth and India would soon result in it becoming the 3rd largest economy in the world. He also stressed that great leadership by Modi had ensured India’s journey to becoming a global super power. Jindal stated that his companies planned to invest Rs 15,000 crores over the next few years and create over 6,000 jobs.
Sanjiv Puri, Managing Director of ITC, recalled the success of the G20 Summit, and praised the Prime Minister’s global statesmanship and his advocacy for the cause of the Global South. He said that a slew of purposeful policy initiatives in the last few years has placed India favourably in a world faced with multi-dimensional challenges. The transformation of many sectors in the economy and GDP numbers spoke for themselves.
Founder of Patanjali, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev referred to the PM as the visionary of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and a family member of the 140 crore citizens of India, as well as the world. He highlighted the Prime Minister’s goal of achieving a USD 5 trillion economy. He assured that Patanjali would invest more than Rs 10,000 crores over the next few years and provide more than 10,000 jobs for the locals.
Kalyan Chakrabarti, CEO of Emaar India, thanked the Prime Minister for providing direction, vision and foresight for the development of the country. He conveyed the corporate world’s commitment to be a partner in the journey of India becoming a Viksit Rashtra. He also pointed out new vibrancy in the India-UAE relationship. Emaar’s headquarters are in the UAE. Chakrabarti also highlighted the positive change that has come in the global outlook towards India. He mentioned several policy reforms like GST and the fintech revolution that are creating new opportunities for the industrial world. R Dinesh, Chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, reiterated the company’s commitment to the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister. He mentioned the contributions of the organisation in Uttarakhand’s growth story and gave examples of manufacturing units of tyre and auto components, and services in the logistics and auto sector. He promised an investment of over Rs 1,800 crores and creating over 7,000 jobs in the state. Dinesh is currently also the Chairman of CII.
