Ranchi, May 18: The Jharkhand government today held a ground-breaking ceremony at Hotwar in Ranchi to lay foundation for 21 projects that are expected to attract Rs 700-crore investments and create 21,000 direct jobs and also promised speedy approvals for new businesses.
The Momentum Jharkhand: Global Investors Summit (GIS) in February in the state saw signing of 210 memorandum of understandings (MoUs) worth Rs 3.1 lakh crore between investors and the state government.
“The 21 projects underway will have an estimated direct investment inflow of more than Rs 700 crore and the potential of generating 21,000-plus direct jobs,” the Jharkhand government said in a statement.
Speaking on this occasion, state Chief Minister Raghubar Das said, “The ground-breaking ceremony marks the successful culmination of the Jharkhand government’s efforts in attracting national and international investors and then driving speedy due diligence and approvals within the shortest possible time-frame.”
This also marks the beginning of a new era in sustainable development that will broad-base the state’s industry segments, while creating income-generating opportunities and employment avenues for the local people, he said.
“The speed with which clearances to 21 projects were granted is testimony to the Jharkhand government’s resolve in making our state the most-preferred investment destination in the country,” he added.
Chief Minister was all praise for labour intensive industries particularly textile industries for large scale employment generation and said Jharkhand is replete with all the resources material and human to surpass Bangladesh in garment production.
The chief minister also reiterated his resolve to make Jharkhand “Tasar capital of India” and equally competitive in production of Lac-based industries as the State was lead Lac producer of in the country. “My government’s watchwords are elimination of poverty and unemployment. The ushering in of these industries to be followed by more is a step towards realising those goals for an equalitarian society,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister also sought help of media in disseminating positives of the State.
Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma said the groundbreaking event’s message is loud and clear that the State has changed and it is a new Jharkhand where positives abound. “On the heels of this, by the end of June or beginning July, we are going to see groundbreaking and ushering in of 30-35 more industries in automobile, automation, IT and other sectors,” the chief secretary said.
“The works on MoUs signed associated with these sectors was on and there realization was round the corner, she said adding that these investments would generate massive employments. “It is proven fact that investments bring in its train developmental opportunities thrice of its size through incidental and ancillary activities associated with them.
Earlier, Industry secretary Sunil Kumar Burnwal introduced the gathering to the ceremony. He said the government in last two years has come up with 18 sector-specific conspicuous policies which is inviting and guiding investors and investments. “These policies have corrected perceptions and changed attitudes, and impression of the State. The investors no longer are apprehensive or cynical about investment in the State,” he said.
The summit had attracted investors from across the world including nations such as Russia, Korea, Belarus, China and others.
In turn, the multiplier effect would be generating indirect employment in excess of 50,000 and ensuring a manifold increase in income for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in Jharkhand.
Apart from 21 projects, three other projects were inaugurated by the chief minister during the ground-breaking organised by the Department of Industries today.
The 21 projects pertain to 19 corporate entities from across the country, representing eight industry segments, including textiles, food & food processing, pharmaceuticals, waste management, health, footwear, warehousing & logistics, among others.
Some leading corporates promoting these projects are Orient Craft, Shahi Exports, Kaveri Agri Warehousing, Dev Aahar Food Industries, Shaw Pharma, Matrix Clothing, Pragati Beverages and Thriveni Apparels.