New York city officials in the United States involved in urban infrastructure management tasks have evinced keen interest in taking up a series of training programmes on road safety measures and street design initiatives in Chhattisgarh’s cities, officials stated.
During the ongoing visit of Urban Administrative and Development Minister Amar Agrawal to the US, the officials of New York city gave presentation on Road Safety Initiative, Street Design including Bicycle Sharing Scheme under Vision-Zero, they stated.
The officials in New York city provided consent in principle for implementing these measures in cities of Chhattisgarh, officials said. Minister Amar Agrawal deliberated upon planned development of cities in State with senior officials of New York City during his ongoing tour of the United States, officials stated.
He gave presentation on the measures taken for traffic regulation in cities and the action plan for promoting public transport in State, in front of Transport Commissioner Michael Replogal and his subordinates in New York City.
In the meeting, discussion on development of other resources of public transport also took place. After which, agreement for organising a training programme at Institute for Transport, before implementation of light Rail Transport (lRT) system in Chhattisgarh was taken up.
Replagol appreciated the initiatives taken by Government for regulating traffic in the cities and also discussed about the city bus scheme implemented under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JlNURM), officials stated.
He said that the model adopted by Chhattisgarh will bring transparency in the system.
Principal Secretary of Urban Administration Development Department RP Mandal and Senior Deputy Commissioner of New York Aron Sugeora were also present. Notably, in the month of August this year Chhattisgarh Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal who was in the US had invited NRIs to invest in the State.
During his visit to Washington DC, Agrawal met with a delegation and told them about the strengths of State in terms of abundant energy supply and mineral availability making it conducive for the investors to establish projects in the State.
He had told the NRIs that Chhattisgarh is blessed with abundant natural resources and the possibility for them to take up even agriculture-based projects due to its very fertile landscape.
Moreover, an American delegation from Montgomery which was on a two-day visit of Chhattisgarh in September last year had visited the State to have a look at various projects ongoing and completed projects in the State’s hi-tech administrative capital in Naya Raipur.
The 18-member delegation led by Isiah (Ike) leggett had stated that the greenery, water harvesting and better infrastructure makes Naya Raipur different from new cities.
leggett had also appreciated the rural development scheme and skill development besides rehabilitation schemes implemented in the State. The US delegation had also met CM Raman Singh and held discussions about possibilities of mutual cooperation between Chhattisgarh and Montgomery in the field of health, herbal medicines, non-conventional energy, information technology, handicraft and biotechnology.
leggett had consented for cooperation in various sectors the economy and expressed interest in the field of generic medicines. In June this year the Government had signed a MoU with US-based BrightSKY llC. for setting up a project for the manufacture of telecom equipment and lED bulbs in Naya Raipur.
The total quantum of investment to be made by the company is an estimated Rs500 crore. The project is expected to provide employment opportunities to around 600 people.
The MoU was signed between CHiPS CEO Saurabh Kumar on behalf of Chhattisgarh government and CEO of BrightSKY llC Nick Shevillo.
The MoU was signed during a meeting of State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) at the office located at the Chief Minister’s residence in Raipur .
The Centre has already approved Chhattisgarh Government’s proposal of establishing an ‘Electronic Manufacturing Cluster’ in Naya Raipur, officials informed.
The Electronic Manufacturing Cluster will be established by Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC) during the next three years.
The estimated cost of the ‘Electronic Manufacturing Cluster’ is Rs 105 crore where the Central Government will contribute Rs 50 crore for the project while remaining expenses will be borne by State government itself.