Even as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh pitched for ‘Vibrant India’ summit, the 7th edition of Vibrant Gujarat witnessed mammoth investment promise of more than Rs25,00,000 crore from investors across the globe.
Giving all the credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the success of Gujarat’s biennial flagship event for business and investment, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel said at a valedictory function that through more than 21,000 MoUs worth Rs25 lakh crore, investors show confidence in Gujarat and India.
It was because of Narendrabhai (Modi), countries across the world took more interest in India in the event as more than 25,000 delegates from 110 countries attended the event, Patel said, adding, “I am fortunate that the Prime Minister has attended the event this time. In the past, the Gujarat Government (when Modi was the CM) used to invite the then Prime Minister, but nobody attended.”
She said that investment pledge is not adequate, real test of her Government would start now to transform MoUs into reality. “The State Government will form a committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary with the industries department to speedy solve the problems of investors. A monitoring committee will also be formed headed by the Chief Minister to ensure policy, promotion and progress of MoUs. This committee will meet every three months,” she added.
In fact, she said, the summit has become so institutionalised now that it is on an “auto pilot”. It is no longer a biennial event but, like a river, a continuous flow of events and processes, making the State “Gatisheel Gujarat” (Dynamic Gujarat),” said the CM.
Speaking at the function, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed Gujarat as the “Mother of Opportunities” and added in a lighter vein that his mother’s name was “Gujarati Devi”. Comparing PM Modi with other illustrious sons of Gujarat — Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Swami Dayanand Saraswati, he said that for the first time since 1947, India produced a leader who “overturned” politics in the country. “He (Modi) changed political idiom and discourse,” said the Home Minister.
“Vibrant Gujarat is the brainchild of Narendrabhai. Now, we are expecting him to metamorphose Vibrant Gujarat into Vibrant India,” he said, adding that development doesn’t mean only investment, it is law & order too and in Gujarat even woman can roam around fearlessly late in the night.
Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani committed to contribute in Make in India initiative. In fact Adani announced further Rs45,000 crore investments in the State in renewable energy and port related industries from the dais during the valedictory function.
During the event, 14 country and 10 theme seminars were held and 400 Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings were conducted at Mahatma Mandir, the venue of Vibrant Gujarat and 300 CEOs attended CEOs’ conclave.