Surat to grow 20-fold by 2047: Bhupendra Patel
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the third Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Surat on Friday, projecting that the Surat Economic Region will grow twentyfold by 2047 and contribute over 35 per cent to Gujarat’s gross State domestic product, as the State announced eight new Smart GIDC industrial eStates across South Gujarat covering a total area of 5,380 acres.
The conference, held on Gujarat State Formation Day with the theme “Regional Aspirations, Global Ambitions,” is the third in a series of regional summits being conducted across four zones ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Investors Summit in 2027. The earlier two were held in North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch.
Patel said the VGRC approach was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that no region of the State is left behind and that each district’s potential gets a global platform. He said the South Gujarat conference would accelerate industrial development in districts including Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Dang, and Bharuch.
He outlined the strong economic potential of the Surat region across several sectors: chemicals and pharmaceuticals, textiles and apparel, gems and jewellery, agriculture, real eState, and tourism. He added that a master plan prepared under the guidance of NITI Aayog has been approved to develop Surat as a growth hub.
On Gujarat’s broader economic standing, Patel said the State handles 40 per cent of India’s total cargo, contributes 18 per cent to national industrial output, and accounts for 15 per cent of the country’s renewable energy. The State’s own tax revenue, he said, has grown from `9,000 crore to `1.55 lakh crore. He also noted that two semiconductor plants are already operational at Sanand-Dholera, which has emerged as a semiconductor hub.
The eight new Smart GIDC industrial eStates announced for South Gujarat will be distributed across the region: two in Surat, three in Bharuch, and one each in Valsad, Tapi, and Navsari.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi presented growth data at the event, saying Gujarat’s GDP rose from `1.29 lakh crore in 2003 to `21.90 lakh crore in 2022-23, with projections of `27.4 lakh crore by 2025.
Gujarat contributes 8.2 per cent to India’s GDP. He said the State leads in foreign direct investment and noted a fourfold increase in MSMEs.
He added that `5,619 crore in incentives were disbursed in 2024-25, including `1,300 crore to 11,000 traders from Surat. He expressed confidence that the Surat conference would witness record memorandums of understanding, following `3.24 lakh crore at Mehsana and `5.78 lakh crore at Rajkot.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri praised Gujarat for organising regional summits and said India had maintained economic stability despite global disruptions, including supply chain issues and rising crude prices. He pointed out that petrol and diesel prices in India have remained unchanged for over four years.
