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Credit Rating Investment Services of India
Limited (Crisil), the consultant to the Gujarat
Government for preparing the ‘Vision 2020’
document – a blueprint for the State’s growth
trajectory over the next 15 years – has
identified infrastructural gaps between the
service, agriculture and industrial sectors as
major roadblocks to growth. Crisil also apprised
the corporate brass on the desired growth
direction, and the must-dos for Gujarat,
reiterating a sectoral approach as a key
driver.
Gujarat has roped in Crisil to firm up its
ambitious plans, targeting a growth rate in
excess of 10 per cent by 2020. Thus, it has been
decided that the incremental growth, rather than
remaining a decimal on documents, should imply
abundant opportunities ensured by a proactive
Government, leading to a better quality of life.
The endgame is to transform the State not only
into an attractive business destination but also
as a preferred location for people to settle
down.
The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB)
is preparing a document to bridge the gap
between the infrastructural requirements and the
investments. The ‘Vision 2020’ document is
expected to be released by the third week of
August. The round table meeting organized by
Crisil this week had brought together top
bureaucrats, led by the Chief Secretary, Mr
P.K.Lehari, on the one side, and leaders of
business houses such as Adani Group, Essar,
Shell, General Motors, Nirma, Torrent and
Gujarat Ambuja on the other. Dons of the Indian
Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and
representatives of trade bodies such as
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI) led the third front.
Some of the ideas mooted in the conference were
: Developing Kutch as the ‘adrenaline zone’ of
India, tapping of opportunities unfurled by
Narmada waters, faster evacuation of cargo
beyond Gujarat borders, promoting the agro
industry, establishing centers of excellence in
Saurashtra and developing a knowledge corridor.
And fuelling these growth plans would be the
natural gas that would be on tap across the
State.
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Infrastructure – related gaps between service,
agriculture and industrial sectors are prime
reasons for stifled economic growth.
This observation was made by Crisil at a round
table conference on Friday to apprise top
industry executives and academicians of the
draft “Gujarat Infrastructure Agenda – Vision
2020”. Crisil is the consulting agency for the
Vision 2020 document of the state government.
The state government has chalked out an
ambitious target of over 10 per cent growth by
2020 leading to better quality of life.
GIDB is preparing a blue print for
infrastructure investments that can translate
the vision into a reality by 2020
The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board is
preparing a blue print for infrastructure
investments that can translate the vision into a
reality by 2020. The participants were of the
view that Kutch needs to developed as the
adrenaline zone of India and for the need for
optimal use of Narmada waters.
They also stressed on developments in natural
gas sector, faster movement of cargoes beyond
state borders promoting agro industry,
establishing centers of excellence in Saurashtra
and developing a knowledge corridor to
accelerate economic growth that could help
achieve targets as envisaged in Vision 2020.
Those who attend the meeting included chief
secretary P. K. Laheri, CEOs of leading
organizations like Adani Group, CMAG, United
Phosphorus, CEPT, CII, FICCI, IIM-A, Gujarat
Ambuja, Essar, General Motors, Nirma, Shell and
Torrent among others.
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GMB ties up with TCGL to showcase Port Sector
Lothal’s
historical importance as port will figure in
GMB-TCGL exercise in Jan.
The Gujarat
Maritime Board (GMB) has tied up with Tourism
Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. (TCGL), to showcase
the port sector as the best investment option at
an international investor meet to be held in
January next.
Lothal, an
ancient port that was part of the Indus Valley
Civilisation, will be showcased by GMB and TCGL
as part of the seminars, workshops and guided
tours that will be part of the investment
attracting exercise.
HK Dash, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, GMB, said that the state will host an
international seminar on Lothal in mid-January.
“The main aim of the January summit is to
attract further investments. Port
sector will be showcased as prominent investment
option. Investments
worth Rs.
14,000 crore have already been made in the port
sector in Gujarat and we expect investments of
atleast Rs. 10,000 crore more in the sector,”
Dash said.
He added that
while GMB expects investments to be announced by
companies in those ports where Expression of
Interest (EoI) has already been invited, TCGL
will co-ordinate the aspect of showcasing Lothal
as a heritage destination. In fact, at the
recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat Navratri 2004
festival, experts said that heritage sites,
including Lothal had a great potential for being
developed as tourist destinations.
Lothal,
located about 50 km south of Ahmedabad, was an
engineering marvel. According to
archaeologists, Lothal engineers were pioneers
in constructing an artificial dock for berthing
ships. Perhaps, nowhere in the world had
maritime engineering advanced so much in third
millennium BC as at Lothal.
The most
significant finding from Lothal was the massive
trapezoidal brick structure identified as a dock
with a large adjacent waterhouse and wharf,
making Lothal the largest port of the Indus
Valley Civilization found till date.
The
basin of the Lothal dock could accommodate at
least 30 ships of 50 tonne at one go. Lothal
also served as a provincial capital centre for
international trade, importing copper and
producing bronze, fish hooks, chisels,
spearheads and ornaments that were ‘exported’ to
different places such as Egypt and Mesopotamia.
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