Jharkhand will be one of the two ‘focus States’ in the upcoming India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, and potential investors from across the globe will get to explore business prospects in the tribal State, which accounts for about 40 per cent of India’s mineral reserves, officials from the state industries department said on Tuesday.
The IITF, an annual event which could not be held last year due to Covid-induced restrictions, will be organised at Pragati Maidan in the national capital from November 14 to November 27. While Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh will be the two focus states in the fair, Bihar will play the role of a ‘partner state’, a communique from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) stated.
According to sources from the state industries department, at least 35 stalls have been allocated to Jharkhand at this international fair to showcase various business opportunities in the state. The fair, officials said, will help Jharkhand gain global exposure and improve future business prospects.
State industries secretary Pooja Singhal could not be contacted for her remarks on Tuesday. However, an official who would be attending the fair said that the first five days of B2B interaction will be important for Jharkhand.
“The first five days of the fair are only for business-to-business interactions. This is the period when most of the business establishments in the state will get to interact with other business establishments in different states and countries,” said the official, requesting not to be named.
Some of the Jharkhand stalls at the fair will be focused on mining, Information Technology, forest conservation, tourism and tribal handicraft. Khadi stalls and stalls by Jharcraft will also be set up.
Being the focus State for the event, Jharkhand’s culture, art and industrial expertise will be showcased at the fair, which will give the state an opportunity to make a mark in the global map for business.
According to PIB, so far Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, China, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and UAE have confirmed their participation in the fair. This will be the 40th edition of the IITF, organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation, a government agency. The fair will be inaugurated by the union minister for commerce and industries, Piyush Goyal. Over 2000 exhibitors from India and overseas are expected to participate with the display of a large range of products and services, PIB states in its latest communique.