Donning the mantle of CEO, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has invited US corporate to invest in the state, saying that it offers best incentives and has a conducive environment for growth and industrial development.

“I am not only the Chief Minister, I am also the CEO of Madhya Pradesh. I believe in efficiency. So come and invest in the state,” Chouhan had said yesterday at a meeting organised by the US India Business Council (USIBC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

In an hour-long interaction with industry leaders, Chouhan asserted that Madhya Pradesh under his leadership provides an efficient and investor-friendly atmosphere.

Once known for bandits, the state is now an “island of peace” with low crime rate, Chouhan said. He spoke in Hindi, with his interaction being translated into English.

The Chief Minister promised to make land available to investors ‘in a matter of two minutes’, saying that the State Government has a pool of 16,000 acres for development and industrial growth.

He said the State has skilled manpower, and no work time was lost on account of any strike. Besides, the State Government provides round-the-clock power supply to industries, he added.

“Madhya Pradesh has a real single window system,” Chouhan said, noting that he personally monitors all the projects.

He also invited US representatives to attend the Global Investors Summit in Indore scheduled for October 28-30.

Chouhan said Madhya Pradesh is open to investment in all sectors ranging from mining, tourism, agriculture and food processing, power, textile and apparels, automobile, health, IT, education and infrastructure.

Describing Madhya Pradesh as “India’s Growth Centre”, he said it is an ideal destination for production hub.

The state, having large mineral reserves and ample availability of water, has experienced a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.7 per cent during 2005-10.