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Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2013: Narendra Modi moves beyond state-specific planning for more national visibility - The Economic Times
Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2013: Narendra Modi moves beyond state-specific planning for more national visibility
AHMEDABAD: The awe and suspicion around investment commitments at the biennial Vibrant Gujarat summits will be tempered this time with host Narendra Modi deciding to move beyond showcasing top dollars to something immediate and tangible.
The chief minister will encash his starry status to broker partnerships between companies in what is being tom-tommed as strategic alliances involving real people and companies instead of mere promises.
The tie-ups, officials say, will not be restricted to Gujarat and its small ancillary units, but will have a wider ambit. The state wants companies to work together on projects that may come up anywhere in the country.
Gujarat government will act as a mediator at its capital Gandhinagar and handover the proposal to the representative of any of the 21 states that have confirmed participation at the sixth edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit.
The change from a state-specific planning to a wider national view is seen as a deliberate move by Modi to get more national visibility. Business apart, he has also made sure that a cultural event show casing other states ( mini IndiaBSE 0.00 %) is orgnanised for the participants.
"It is clear, Modi wants to move beyond Gujarat. The recent win has strengthened his candidature for the country's top slot and the CM may like to stake his claim through the development and prosperity plank," says NiravBSE 1.36 % Shah, MD of Ahmedabad-based IT company Jayatma Informatics.
The chief minister has just made a clean sweep to his third term and Maheshwar Sahu, principal secretary for industries and mines, says this time there is no pressing need to highlight mind-boggling future investment figures.
"We are focusing more on strategic partnerships that involve innovation, knowledge, skill development and sustainability. As such there is no pressure to ensure MoUs. The thought taking ground is that, if like-minded companies come together, MoUs would naturally follow," Sahu told ET.
What essentially the state government plans to do is identify a project and find suitor who can come up with a supporting technology and help it broadbase. It then wants to fast-track the project with research assistance from universities that too will be part of the event.
Ahmedabad-based Maniar Vehicles, for instance, tied up with Canadian firm Challenger Manufacturing to make and supply mechanised sweepers adapted to dusty Indian road conditions. Its MD is now hoping to introduce the machines in the Indian market and will attend the three-day summit to be held on January 11.
Another company Vipro Lifesciences is ready with an automised dairy farming technique acquired from an Israeli company Alef bet Planners to raise productivity of cows. It is setting up a centre of excellence in dairying, embryo transfer facility and a dedicated facility to produce bulls. "We are ready to help corporates in dairy farming," said Nitin Shah of Vipro.