To give a boost to industrial development in the state, Madhya Pradesh has earmarked 20,000 hectares (ha) of land, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said . “These are government-owned land,” he added. This comes at a time when most of the states are in a fix over how to make land available for industry. Chouhan was speaking at Samriddhi, an event organised by Business Standard Hindi to bring together decision-makers in the government, industry and academia to debate developmental issues.
Much of this land, Chouhan added, would be utilised in three industrial corridors: Bhopal-Indore, Jabalpur-Satna-Singarauli and Bhopal-Bina. He invited the private sector to set up industrial training institutes in partnership with the government, and highlighted the possibilities in medical tourism and higher education in the state.
Dispelling fears of a drought, Chouhan said all districts of the state have received adequate rainfall this monsoon season. As a result, a shortfall in the paddy output is unlikely. He said the state would procure one million tonnes of rice this year. “Our agricultural growth was 18 per cent last year,” he said, “because of which the state GDP grew by almost 12 per cent.”
Chouhan said his government has decided to upgrade the national highways, which is the responsibility of the Centre, with its own money. Of course, the state would seek reimbursement of these funds from the Centre subsequently. Madhya Pradesh, according to the chief minister, has spent ~350 crore to upgrade infrastructures in clusters of small and medium enterprises. By next year, he added, all villages in the state would be provided power round the clock — which will benefit not only farmers but also village-based small enterprises. The three-day global investors meet towards the end of October, Chouhan said, will slot one day exclusively for small entrepreneurs and cottage industries.
The chief minister also talked of the very high growth potential for tourism in the state. Tourism in Madhya Pradesh is set to be adversely impacted by the recent Supreme Court directive to stop tourism in the core of forest reserves in order to protect the tiger population from extinction. Later in the function, state government official said the state was likely to appeal against the order.
On a different note, Chouhan, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said he was extremely hurt when an overseas magazine had lampooned the Indian prime minister. He was referring to the Time magazine calling Prime Minister Manmohan Singh an “underachiever”.
“Political differences aside, this really hurt me,” he said. On Saturday’s function was attended by senior government officers, bankers and businessmen from places like Mandideep and Indore.