Amitabh Kant on DMIC, Dholera and future Singapore in Gujarat

Gandhinagar, 11 January 2013 He is a central government official, but he spoke from his heart at the inaugural function of the Vibrant Gujarat summit 2013. He admired Gujarat, he admired the Chief Minister and said that in the coming years, there will be a completely new Gujarat. He said a new Singapore will be created in the heart of Gujarat. He is Amitabh Kant, CEO of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). And here is what he said, extremely important in connection with the future of Gujarat: “The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor passes through the six most dynamic states of India, but in Gujarat we find a very different energy, a different vibrancy, a different positivity to get things delivered. This project will link Delhi – the political capital with Mumbai and it will transport goods which presently take 14 days within 12 hours. This is a revolutionary change that will be taking place. But when this happens, it creates unique and exciting opportunities, and Gujarat was the first state to realize its potential and tap it by enacting a completely new SIR act, under which it is creating new cities. The key challenge for India is to grow at rates of 8-9% per year on a constant basis for three decades or more to lift this vast segment of population above the poverty line. And the challenges for the manufacturing sector is to grow at rates of 15-16% constantly year after year for the next three decades. I think this challenge has been grasped by Gujarat, and it has taken a lead.” “It is creating jobs, it is driving manufacturing and it is driving urbanization. Because by 2030, as many as 350 million people will get into the urbanization process, and every minute 30 Indians are moving from rural areas to urban areas, and therefore you need new urbanization.
In Dholera we are creating a city by partnering with the Government of Gujarat under the dynamic leadership of Narendra Modi. A city which will be 903 sq km in size. You will realize the dimension when I say that Singapore is just 670 sq km. This is the only state which has managed, through a process of community participation and town planning, to pull/acquire land totalling an area of 540 sq km. This is unparalleled and unbelievable in many ways. And we are creating a smart city of the future, with BRT, LRT, MRT, transportation, recycling of water, recycling of waste, real time governance and control.
This is an opportunity for India which has been behaving like a frog reluctant to leap forward whereas Gujarat has truly grasped the opportunity. I see a very different dynamism, energy, vibrancy, and a unique decisiveness when I deal with civil servants in Gujarat, and that is why Gujarat has taken the lead in the DMC. I complement the Chief Minister, the civil servants, the politicians for this very visionary, decisive leadership, and I am sure what you will see in the coming years, is a completely new Gujarat, a completely new Singapore created in the heart of Gujarat.”

India Inc calls Narendra Modi leader with vision

Anil Ambani teams up with China’s WandaNarendra Modi making false claims, Congress saysNarendra Modi accused of crony capitalismInflation: Narendra Modi demands Sonia's apologyGadkari’s plight a Narendra Modi plot? GANDHINAGAR: There were no lofty investment promises but captains of the industry and a battery of foreign diplomats queued up to hail Gujarat's economic progress on Friday when the sixth edition of the two-day Vibrant Gujarat business summit started at Mahatma Mandir here on Friday. Apart from tycoons, several foreign dignitaries, including Japanese ambassador to India Takashi Yagi, Canadian high commissioner Stuart Beck and UK high commissioner James Bevan were present. As were heads of US India Business Council, UK India Business Council and Japan External Trade Organisation. While most industry captains praised Modi, the most lavish praise came from ADAG chairman Anil Ambani, who placed Modi on the same pedestal as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Dhirubhai Ambani, as a visionary. He called Modi "king of kings"; at last year's Vibrant Gujarat, Anil Ambani had controversially said Modi should become a national leader. Ratan Tata, the star attraction of the 2009 Vibrant Gujarat summit for bringing Nano factory to Gujarat from West Bengal, said Gujarat stands out, the credit for which goes to Narendra Modi. He has set "high standards" for investment, said Tata. Adi Godrej, who came as Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) representative, spoke of Modi's "futuristic approach" in making Gujarat "one of the best investment destinations". Shashi Ruia of Essar, whose company was forced to pay thousands of crores as sales tax dues to Gujarat government, also referred to "Modi's vision and unparalleled leadership" — which was in complete contrast to his reference to being treated as "ghar ki murgi" (taken for granted) at a previous summit. Most tycoons confined their focus on what they called "the entrepreneurial spirit of Gujarat". In fact, speaking of the great strides made by Gujarat in the past, General Motors' Lowell C Paddock recalled how Halol, where the GM plant came up decades ago, was connected with a "high-speed highway" with Vadodara. "Earlier, it took four hours to reach Vadodara but after the highway it takes just half-an-hour," he said. Modi, who concluded the inaugural ceremony, said this summit was about "finding solutions" to the impact of global slowdown. "Despite the slowdown, Gujarat did reasonably well," he claimed, adding, "We did well with 10% rate of growth in service, industry and agricultural sectors." Modi further claimed Gujarat accounts for 72% of nation's employment generation, and the growth rate of small and medium industries was 85% in a year. Credits TOI

Kochi Metro Hopes and Dreams

Kochi Metro to be entrusted to DMRC: Kamal Nath

Kochi: Union minister Kamal Nath said that Kochi Metro would be implemented with the support of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The entire responsibility would be given to DMRC. DMRC will take care of all tenders regarding this and will look into technical dealings too, Kamal Nath said. The minister also said that E Sreedharan would continue to be the consultant of DMRC and Kochi Metro. The project is planned to be completed in 3 years time. Kamal Nath revealed this to mediapersons after a high-level meeting on Kochi Metro. Chief minister Oommen Chandy, Union Urban Development secretary Sudhir Krishna, minister Aryadan Muhammed, E Sreedharan among others took part in the meeting. Chief minister Oommen Chandy thanked Kamal Nath for the support and hoped the project would be completed in a time bound manner.

Kochi Metro will be implemented under Sreedharan's leadership - 18 Dec

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister Aryadan Muhammad told in the Assembly on Tuesday that the Kochi Metro would be implemented under the leadership of E Sreedharan and with the participation of DMRC. Union urban affairs minister Kamal Nath would be arriving in Kerala on January 8 to discuss the issue and a final decision would be taken after discussions with him. He also added that the govt has so far not enquired if an explanation from KMRC former MD Tom Jose was sought in connection with the allegations raised against Sreedharan by him who had sent a letter to the centre in this connection.