Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will return to Bhopal today after finishing his successful visit to Japan and Korea inviting foreign investment to Madhya Pradesh.
Japanese investors have evinced keen interest in investment in infrastructure, metro rail project, Industrial Township in Madhya Pradesh, scientific warehouses, alternative energy, construction industry, electronics development and manufacturing and development of Smart Cities. In the presence of Chouhan, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between officers of Japan External Trade Organisation for setting up Japan Industrial Township in the State.
Southeast Asian companies are very enthusiastic for investment in Madhya Pradesh following Chief Minister Chouhan's 10-day visit. Several companies and investors informed the Chief Minister about their plans for large scale investment in the State.
On the first day of his Japan-Korea visit, proposals of Rs 15,000 crore investments were received for improvement in basic infrastructure in the State, specially Bhopal-Indore metro rail project, power transmission reforms and rural drinking water schemes.
Chouhan also held discussions with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on laying of railway line between Bhopal and Indore costing Rs 12,000 crore. JICA will soon send a technical team to Madhya Pradesh to study feasibility of the project. JICA also sanctioned Rs 1038 crore loan for Madhya Pradesh Transmission System Modernisation Project. The project aims at further strengthening and improving power transmission system.
Consensus was also reached for special and separate clusters for Japanese and Southeast Asian companies in the State. A large number of Japan's small and medium entrepreneurs are keen on investment in the State.
The Chief Minister held discussions with CEO of Japan External Trade Organisation Hiroyuki Ishige on investment possibilities. He also addressed a business seminar. The Japan External Trade Organisation showed interest in partnership for Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. JETRO also signed a memorandum of understanding with Madhya Pradesh for the purpose.
Chouhan also discussed the areas of cooperation with Executive Vice President of Fuji Electric Yashio Okuno and invited the Fuji Electric to collaborate in electrical manufacturing sector. He sought cooperation for providing technology for the upcoming smart cities.
Several important decisions like establishment of special cluster for Japanese investors at Dhar were taken which will prove fruitful in future. Softbank evinced interest in completing 40 per cent alternative energy generation. Japanese Commerce and Industry Department has consented to promote Japan Industrial Township at Pithampur near Indore.
During discussions with top officials of Furukawa Electric about investment in cable manufacturing, the officials said the company is planning to do feasibility studies for producing joint cables in MP.
The Chief Minister invited Mizuho Bank to open a branch in Madhya Pradesh. Holding dialogues with the Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son on the possibilities of investments in new and renewable energy development, Chouhan underlined immense investment scope in the sector. The projects for generation and development of alternative energy will be boosted due to 250 million dollar investment by Panasonic Corporation.