'Udhyog 2004' gets underway

`Udhyog 2004', the biennial trade fair organised by the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), was inaugurated by the deputy prime minister L K Advani on Wednesday at the sprawling Vanita Vishram Grounds in central Surat.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Union rural development minister Kashiram Rana and various other ministers and officials were present.

Advani, who was scheduled to arrive in Surat on early Wednesday, could land in the city only around 3.30 pm due to fog in north India.

Reliance India Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani also could not reach.

Advani, who was running short of time, restricted his speech to a single line:. "The entire country is experiencing the feel-good factor and Gujarat has the potential to emerge as the best state in the country."

The deputy prime minister opened the fair by lighting a lamp.

Narendra Modi explained how his government was encouraging the trade and industry in Gujarat.

The quadrilateral highway project of the prime minister and the National Railway Scheme would give a major boost to the 42 ports of Gujarat which have the potential to cater to the needs of the vast hinterland of the country, Modi said.

The 'Udhyog 2004' is the biggest exhibition ever held in this region.

A number of industrial and trade houses are participating in the fair.

Major corporates including Reliance, Essar, Larsen & Toubro, NTPC, Kribhco, ONGC and Shell (I) Ltd are also participating in the fair.

Besides these corporates, large and medium scale industries and government organisations are occupying 50 pavilions in the AC and non-AC stalls set up in the centre of the exhibition area.

There are 575 stalls of small industries with the participation of 400 units.

"This is the fourth Udhyog fair after it was launched in 1998. The SGCCI has realised the importance of the exhibitions as major tools for creating markets for the products of the industrial units and giving information on new technologies," SGCCI president Ashok Shah said.

Udhyog 2004 has participation from different sectors covering textile machinery, garment yarn, weaving, processing yarn, engineering, tourism, agriculture, food processing, diamond, plastics, consumer durables, electrical, chemical and education.

Several companies from China, South Korea, Switzerland and Germany are also participating in the fair.

As part of the fair, seminars on textile trade and industry, power and its requirements, retailing as a new marketing technique, gems and jewellery and its future, communications, tourism, capital market and derivatives, building and construction industry and rural technology have been organised.

A special session on the role of senior citizens in building the modern society has also been organised. The exhibition has been sponsored by the industries commissioner, the Union ministry of textiles and the Union ministry of rural development.

More than one lakh people are expected to visit the fair everyday, the organisers said.