‘Vibrant Gujarat is on automatic mode now’

Even as Narendra Modi is no longer the Chief Minister of Gujarat, his pet project ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ is now on “automatic mode”, says Saurabh Patel, Gujarat’s Finance Minister, as the State prepares for the summit in January 2015.

Referring to the expected investments, he said the Summit has crossed the stage of focusing on numbers.

“We are on automatic mode now…What we are looking at is more inclusive growth, areas which are under developed and focus more on employment and labour intensive growth.

Along with Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, the State Finance Minister was in the country’s financial capital on Monday to promote “Vibrant Gujarat 2015” through a road show co-organised with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Dismissing the controversy that Gujarat would take away investments from Maharashtra, the State’s Finance Minister clarified, “We are not limiting Vibrant Gujarat’s business destination to Gujarat.

“Any State can attract investments in their respective sector. We are here not to attract investments from Maharashtra to Gujarat...but invite businesses to attend Vibrant Gujarat and find partners and let everyone from Maharashtra to meet delegates from overseas and also tell them to sell your policies. We expect this summit to attract lot of international delegations.”

Describing Vibrant Gujarat as the “Davos of the East”, Saurabh Patel said, “This is a summit known for its global business destinations. Many decisions, meetings would take place not just for Gujarat but for any part of the world.”

Vibrant Gujarat will see eight partner countries and many top world Chief Executive Officers participating to explore business opportunities.

Highlighting the connectivity between Gujarat and Maharashtra, DJ Pandian, Gujarat Chief Secretary said that Maharashtra investors too “invest in Gujarat and sleep peacefully in Mumbai”.

With BJP forming the Government in Maharashtra, Saurabh Patel said this will only increase competition and, “Competition is the best for everyone. With new chief ministers taking charge across the country, there will be new ideas and it will bring out best of policies which is good for the country.”

Patel said, “We want to soon be a defence hub. I have asked US consulates to bring American defence companies to invest in Gujarat. Defence requires lot of space and we have that and ports and airports for it.

We are also looking at more labour intensive units as employment is the key.

We will come out with an SSI (Small Scale Industries) policy within a month before Vibrant Gujarat.”

The State has also launched policies in the sector of electronics, IT/ITes and e-governance and added special emphasis to investments in state-made polymer, engineering and labour.

On the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Patel said, “Gujarat government is for GST but the interest of state revenue must be protected.

“We have made suggestions and given all the details to the Finance Ministry.

“Practically, all our suggestions have been acceptedThere should be a design wherein there should be win-win situation for the producing State, consuming State and also the Centre.