A video-purportedly showing the industrialist Gautam Adani giving a pep talk to Uttarakhand Government officials in the presence of the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on the poor infrastructural facilities in the State- having gone viral has landed the State Government in embarrassment. This is in view of the fact that the State Government has been basking in the glory of the ‘success’ of the recently concluded Destination Uttarakhand- Investors Summit-2018 during which memoranda of understanding (MoU) worth Rs 1.20 lakh crore are believed to have been signed with several industrial houses.
The video is said to have been shot on September 26-the day on which the chairman and Managing Director (MD) of Adani Group Gautam Adani met Uttarakhand CM at the latter’s residence to discuss investment possibilities in the State. Notably, determined to make the summit a huge success, the Uttarakhand Government had highlighted Adani’s visit at the time as an achievement. In the video, Adani is heard saying that the entrepreneurs are coming to the State on the pressure of the Government despite being aware of the poor infrastructure of the State.
The video having gone viral, the Opposition Congress has lost no time to latch on to the matter to tear into the Government. The State party vice-president Surya Kant Dhasmana said, “Adani’s video has clearly vindicated the Congress’s stand on the Investors Summit. From the day one, we have been saying that the State has very poor infrastructure for industries.’’
Taking a dig at the State Government on the issue, the congress leader said that the road network in the State is pathetic. “Besides, SIIDCUL is left with only 900 acres of land for setting up industries,” he said.
Taking a barb at the State Government over its claim of having clinched MoUs worth over Rs 1.2 lakh crore, he said that desperate to flaunt it to catch the fancy of the people, they are ignoring the reality of the poor infrastructure and dearth of other facilities required for industrial development in the State.