Mundra in the Media
Gandhidham Chamber organises Ind-Expo 2010
India’s high growth rate attributed to
Gujarat’s Role
Gujarat is the "growth engine of the nation" and India has been able to maintain
a high growth rate in the last 5-6 years because the state has grown at double-digits,
asserted Mr Saurabh Patel, the state’s Minister for Industry, Finance, Energy and
Petrochemicals.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the Ind-Expo 2010 exhibition and seminar
(January 2-5), organised by the Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)
here.
Mr Patel pointed out that in order to ramp up the country’s growth rate further,
Gujarat had been given a growth target of 11.2 per cent by the Planning Commission,
which posed a tremendous challenge to its industrial sector.
Nevertheless, he was confident that the state, led by Kutch District, would rise
to this challenge. Kutch had been No. 1 in announcing and implementing projects
in sectors like electricity, coal, mines and minerals, cement, wind energy, LPG,
etc.
"If Gujarat is the growth engine of India, Kutch is going to be the growth engine
of Gujarat and the decade 2010-20 certainly belongs to Kutch," stressed the Minister.
Highlighting some of the forthcoming projects, Mr Patel said that one of the focus
areas would be electricity generation, with 20,000 MW of capacity planned to be
commissioned in about 8 years.
Mundra would be the hub port for the import of coal not only for this region, but
for other parts of the state and the nation as well, he underscored.
Mr Patel also drew attention to the state government’s focus on environment-friendly
development, pointing out that it was encouraging green technologies across industries.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Mr Hiralal C. Parakh, President of GCCI, briefed
the Minister and other dignitaries about the Chamber’s activities, representing
the commercial, industrial, educational and social spheres.
The inaugural session was also graced by Mr Ashok Bhatt, Speaker of the Gujarat
Assembly, Mr Vasantbhai Ahir, Minister for Welfare of Socially and Educationally
Backward Classes, Ms Poonamben Jat, Lok Sabha MP, Dr (Ms) Nimaben Acharya and others.
Some Newspaper Cuttings