Global Meet: MP mops up MoUs worth close to Rs 1 lakh cr

The group had already invested Rs 30,000 crore on an integrated (coal-to-power,power-to-cement) plant on Sasan project which has 4,000 MW capacity,he said. It would soon invest Rs 20,000 crore to make it the largest integrated investment.

The industrialist said his company would provide power at Rs 1.19 per unit in MP and added,“power shortages in MP will become a thing of the past.’’

Ambani began by saying that he was little unnerved by the timing of the summit given the prevailing global environment of concern and caution but said the enthusiasm he saw made him optimistic.

Chouhan announced that he would unveil a new scheme to lay down a time limit within which all industry-related applications and work will have to be completed. The state already has a Public Services Delivery Guarantee Act which penalises government employees for not completing work within a fixed time.

Spelling out the steps taken by the state government in recent times,the chief minister said all villages in the state will be connected by 2013-end.

“You won’t feel cheated,’’ he told investors recalling how he was made fun of at the start of his first innings when he spoke of making MP a leading state in industrialisation.

Chouhan said even bureaucrats were skeptical of the state achieving high GDP rate. He said that while officers felt not more than 5.5 per cent growth rate was possible during the 11th Five Year Plan,the state achieved 10.20 per cent.

Leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj suggested that the state should have a separate ministry to promote religious tourism and pilgrimage,given that MP has many religious sites like Sanchi.

Leading industrialists like Adi Godrej,Abhay Firodia of Force Motors,Shantanu Khosla of Procter and Gamble and Arun Sawhney of Ranbaxy Laboratories praised the government’s approach saying they were already present in the state but the previous investments had largely to do with the concessions given for investing in backward districts.

Meanwhile,the goverment said Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) worth close to Rs 1 lakh crore were signed on Monday.

The first day of the Global Investor Meet was devoted to seeking investment in micro,small and medium enterprises on Sunday. The government claimed the 15 MoUs will result in a creation of more than one lakh jobs.