Dubai:
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister of India’s heartland state Madhya Pradesh, came to Dubai on Wednesday seeking investment for his statement.
“Come invest in Madhya Pradesh, India and we will pull out all stops to extend a warm welcome to the UAE Non-Resident Indian businessmen.”
Chouhan made his remarks at an interactive session with Indian business community at an event organised by Gulf Petrochem, a UAE-based oil and energy company.
Chouhan’s is making an effort to connect with the Indian community in Dubai during a three-day whirlwind tour with a high-level delegation of ministers and principal secretaries. The aim is spread the word about the annual global investor summit slated to be held in Madhya Pradesh from October 8-10 later this year.
Chouhan, who has governed Madhya Pradesh for the last ten years and who was elected to a third term with a landslide victory in May, has been successful in transforming a state that was formerly known more for the Chambal ravines and dacoits, backwardness and poverty, to one with double digit growth, with 24/7 power supply, a growth rate of 24.99 in the agricultural sector in 2013 and with a robust industrial development as well.
“I want to transform Madhya Pradesh from an agriculture — led economy to a manufacturing economy. It is my passion, my obsession and my perseverance, I do not have the word impossible in my lexicon, I will make Madhya Pradesh not only the leading state of India but that of the world and for that I need your cooperation,” he said.
The state’s Principal secretary for industries, Mohammad Sulaiman who made a 20-minute power point presentation at the event, listed all the major achievements of the state which included a strong tourism infrastructure a great growth of agriculture, industry, academic institutions, sports and luxury destinations and said that the possibilities of profitable investments would work well both ways for the state as well as the investors.
“We are creating sector specific policies to deal with investors in each sector and facilitate the process at each stage. Our public service delivery guarantee act which is already in operation now puts the onus on the officer- in-charge to deliver. If he does not deliver within the stipulated time, a penalty is levied which is deducted from his salary and paid as compensation to the aggrieved party,” he said.
Chauhan who later made a keynote address at the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) in the same spirit talked about creating a one-window stop to process papers for smooth investments in his state for UAE-based NRI businessmen, looking to join hands in public private partnership projects.
