By OUR STAFF REPORTER
NEW DELHI, 19 Feb: In a bid to replicate the success and attention received at ‘Destination Uttarakhand’ in October 2018 and heeding suggestions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Uttarakhand State Government has initiated a series of investor roadshows as a precursor to the ‘Uttarakhand Wellness Summit’ planned for April 2020 in Dehradun. The Delhi-leg of the roadshow was held, today, at The Leela Palace where the keynote address was delivered by State Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj. The State Government’s delegation will head next to Kochi to increase investors’ interest. Earlier, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had kicked off the roadshow in Mumbai on 18 February. Addressing the invited guests and the members of the media at the roadshow, the Maharaj said, “Uttarakhand has from time immemorial been the top choice for ascetics and devotees who are in search of the divine. But, now, we are also focusing on developing the state as an industrial hub.” He added, “The primary objective of this roadshow is to shed light on the potential of developing Uttarakhand into a global spiritual economic zone, capitalising on the Global Wellness Economy, worth $4.2 trillion in 2017, growing at 6.4% annually. The Uttarakhand State Government will also organise National and International Roadshows, Ambassador’s Round Table Meet in Rishikesh and a curtain-raiser event in Almora, Uttarakhand to promote the upcoming summit.” The Wellness and AYUSH sector has been accorded the status of an industry in order to enable potential investors to avail incentives from the sector agnostic as well as sector- specific policies. In order to enable Ease of Doing Business, a Single Window Clearance System has been established by the Investor Promotion & Facilitation Centre (IPFC), and a centralised one-stop-shop for investors and businesses has been set up to facilitate interaction with the Government of Uttarakhand for their investment needs. A detailed presentation on ‘Uttarakhand Wellness Summit’ was made by the Director General & Commissioner Industries to the Government of Uttarakhand, L Fanai. A detailed session covering the scope and scale of the ‘Wellness Sector in Uttarakhand’ was presented by Principal Secretary (Industries), Uttarakhand, ManishaPanwar to industry leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs. In her presentation, Panwar apprised them of the abundant opportunities across subsectors pertaining to Nutraceuticals, Organic Food, Natural Fibre, Beauty Products, Wellness Real Estate and such other sectors. In a presentation on ‘Tourism Sector of Uttarakhand’, Secretary, Tourism & CEO, UTDB, Uttarakhand, Dilip Jawalkar shed light on the integration of Wellness Tourism relating to the state’s overall tourism economy. He also apprised the dignitaries of the role that innovative initiatives such as AYUSH Health Centres/Retreats, Eco- Tourism, Aroma Therapy/Aroma Tourism, Yoga Wellness Tourism will play in the coming years. The roadshow concluded with a Q&A session and interaction between the Government representatives and the media. Ashok Windlass, Vice Chairman, CII Uttarakhand State Council and MD Windlas Biotech Ltd, delivered the concluding remarks.
