Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan invites Indian diaspora in the US to invest

Ritu Jha-

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, addressed the Indian diaspora in the US virtually on December 6 to invite them to the ‘Invest Madhya Pradesh – Global Investors Summit’ scheduled on January 11 and 12, 2023 and also for the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas from January 8 to 10, 2023. Both events will be held in Indore city.

Chouhan urged Indians in the US to participate in large numbers and to capitalize on investment opportunities offered by the state. “India is an ancient and great nation with an all-encompassing philosophy that the world is one family. The ties between US and India are getting stronger by the day and these two great democracies are working together for the betterment of the world.”

Hailing Madhya Pradesh as India’s fastest-progressing state, Chouhan said: “MP is at the heart of India and the state has been blessed with bounties like forests, mineral-rich mines, adequate water, human resources, and surplus power. We also have flora and fauna like tigers, leopards, and now we have got cheetahs too that inspire awe and attract tourists. There is unlimited potential for investment here as we are doing exemplary work in various sectors. MP is now the country’s top producer of wheat, and our basmati rice is very popular in US and Canada.”

“We have enough land – 122,000 acres – for our future projects. We have created a land bank to facilitate the quick transfer of land to investors and their projects. MP is equipped with skilled manpower and also excellent law and order situation. This is an island of peace. Our progressive policies are focused on ensuring a win-win situation for the investors and the state. There’s no red tape here, we invite investors to come to this state,” Chouhan added.

Manish Singh (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion, Government of Madhya Pradesh, echoed Chouhan’s sentiments: “MP is a future-ready state and it is the growth centre of India. I am referring to the double-digit growth rate that MP has registered over the last decade. For more than 10 years, we have been growing at more than 10%. We are industry ready in the sense that we have a network of roads, railways, and airports. We are power surplus and we have 96 industrial parks across the state.”

“We have IITs, we have IIMs and we have a number of industry training institutes across the state to support our industries and businesses. For businesses, especially manufacturing businesses, location does matter and MP is located at the centre of India. Our unique location enables us to access almost 50% of the population through our neighboring states. We are very well connected to these states through a network of roads, rail, and airports. And we are a landlocked state. But we have six internal container depots at different places across the state to access imports and exports on both the west and east coast,” added Singh.

He also pointed out that MP ranks third in the export preparedness index of the Niti Aayog and that the state has reduced or removed 230-plus compliances to facilitate businesses and to promote ease of living.

“Our industrial promotion policy is among the most attractive in the country. We not only take care of various sectors in the policy but we made it very transparent and easy to implement. We address the requirements of different sectors like textile, pharma, food processing, garment logistic, warehousing, off-season production, production, medical devices, and also renewable energy. And the key features of this policy are that it is not linked to tax. The fiscal incentives are not linked to tax. So that it becomes more transparent and easier to implement,” he added.

“We have investment, promotion, assistance, and interest support. We also have employment link incentives. We have export link incentives built into the policy. We provide infrastructure support along with time-bound clearances. And for big industries, we also have customized packages available. Indore has been ranked the cleanest city in India for the 6th time in a row, and now MP has been declared as the cleanest state in India.”

On January 9, PBD is celebrated because this day marks the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.

To commemorate this day, the tradition of celebrating the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) started in 2003. India held its first PBD Convention on 9 January 2003 to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.

The theme for the 17th PBD Convention is “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal”. Minister for External Affairs, S Jaishankar, said: “Even during testing times of the pandemic, our diaspora displayed great devotion and commitment towards their motherland.

During the forthcoming 17th PBD Convention, the diaspora will have the opportunity and the platform to share its ideas and sentiments about India’s future development. I invite you and urge all of my diaspora brothers and sisters to visit India and participate in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.”

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest honor conferred on a Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin; or an organization or institution established and run by them, will be given during the PBD.

The award is to commemorate the contribution of the Indian diaspora to create a better understanding of India abroad, support India’s causes and work for the welfare of the local Indian community. Selected eminent Indian diaspora members are given the awards in the presence of the President.

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