On the news being circulated on social media and questions being raised regarding Uttarakhand Global Investor Summit-2023, Secretary Industries and Secretary to Chief Minister Vinay Shankar Pandey, while clarifying the position, said that all the data related to investment in the state is public and the details of each project are available on the respective government websites. He said that it is not appropriate to make misleading assumptions about investment without complete knowledge of the facts. The government has worked continuously to get investment proposals off the ground, as a result of which investments worth more than Rs 1 lakh 1 thousand crore have been grounded so far.
Industrial policies prepared as per the vision of CM Dhami
Secretary Industries said that the geographical conditions of Uttarakhand are different from other states. About 70 percent area of the state is forest covered and the possibilities of setting up heavy industries are high mainly in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and some parts of Nainital. In such a situation, the industrial policies of the state have been prepared as per the vision of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the objective of which is to create maximum employment while maintaining a balance between ecology and economy.
MoU worth Rs 3.56 lakh crore was signed in the Global Investor Summit
He informed that investment memorandums of understanding (MOUs) worth about Rs 3.56 lakh crore were signed during the Global Investor Summit held in December 2023. Ground breaking ceremonies were organized from time to time to bring these proposals on the ground. To assist the investors, investment mitras were arranged, who maintained constant communication with the investors, assisted in resolving problems related to government procedures and played an important role in taking the projects forward.
Investment related data is available on the portal
Vinay Shankar Pandey said that data related to investment is available on the portals of the Department of Industry, UK Spice and Single Window System. In these, essential details including projects, concerned departments and their location are recorded with transparency. He said that this topic was also raised on social media about 8 months ago, which was responded to with facts. The government has also clarified the investment situation in the House from time to time. In such a situation, it is not appropriate to raise questions by ignoring the available facts.
Secretary Industries objects to comments being made on local investors
Expressing strong objection to the comments being made on small enterprises and local investors, Secretary Industries said that raising questions on inclusion of flour mill, mobile shop or other small business in the investment category is not the right approach. He said that if a local person starts a small business by investing Rs 10,000 from his hard-earned money and it provides employment to two people, then this is also an important contribution to the economy and employment generation of the state. The importance of investment is determined not only by its amount but also by the employment and local livelihood opportunities it creates.
Priority is to create favorable environment for local entrepreneurs
He said that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has given clear instructions that both the biggest entrepreneurs and the smallest businessmen should be equally respected in the state. It is the priority of the government to encourage local entrepreneurs and create a favorable environment for them. Taking a dig at the efforts of small businessmen is an insult to their hard work and spirit of becoming self-reliant.
Government’s objective to promote small industries and self-employment
Vinay Shankar Pandey said that for the Global Investor Summit, road shows were organized in major cities of the country as well as abroad. Apart from this, local entrepreneurs and small businessmen were also invited through investment conferences in all the districts of the state including Garhwal and Kumaon divisions. The objective of the government is not only to attract large industrial investment but also to promote small industries, self-employment and employment opportunities at the local level.
Preparations are underway for the next grounding of investment worth Rs 24 thousand crores.
Giving information about the upcoming investment plans, Secretary Industries said that preparations are being made for the next grounding of investment worth about Rs 24 thousand crores. Details related to this have also been made available on the single window system. He informed that the fourth ground breaking ceremony will be organized soon. He appealed to the media and concerned people to directly inspect the projects, communicate with the entrepreneurs and assess the work done on the ground on the basis of facts.
Government’s commitment towards investment in Uttarakhand is clear
Vinay Shankar Pandey said that the government’s commitment towards investment in Uttarakhand is clear. Transparency in the investment process, support to entrepreneurs and employment generation at the local level are the priorities of the government. He said that any conclusion should be reached only on the basis of publicly available data and ground progress.
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