Shri Narendra Modi’s speech at the Business Meet in Chengdu, China.

Place :Chengdu, China

Speech Date :12-11-2011

• Gujarat is the ‘Growth Engine of India’
• We have some of the world’s largest manufacturing and processing facilities in Gujarat.
• Gujarat is emerging as an automobile hub
• Growth in Gujarat is robust and inclusive, fast yet sustainable.
• Welcome Chinese companies to Gujarat. We will offer them full support

Speech of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Gujarat Mr. Narendra Modi At the Business Meet at Chengdu, China

12^th November, 2011

Mr. Pandey, the Consul General of India; Dignitaries and Invitees; Ladies and Gentlemen!

Friends! The cycle of history has destined China and India to play a major role in the economy and politics of the world. Our real strength is in our people, particularly the young generation. Though ancient civilisations, we are both young nations. With the strength of our people, India and china both are ascending to their well deserved glory. We represent almost one third of the Global population. We have the first responsibility to our own people. At the same time, being a large part of the human race, we have the responsibility to the entire global community. We in Gujarat, are working with that concept in mind. We have to achieve faster growth to fulfil the expectations of our people. At the same time, we are achieving that growth in a manner that is sustainable both in terms of time and space.

I am going to take this opportunity to give you some glimpses as to how Gujarat has contributed in India’s Ascendance. As you have seen in the presentation, we call ourselves to be the ‘Growth Engine of India’. This statement has substance that is supported by authentic Statistics. India’s rise in the Global economy has mainly started after the liberalisation of the economy. It is now recognised as a robust economy mainly because of the rising exports, better infrastructure, better human capital and better market capitalisation. Gujarat was among the very first States to take steps in the direction of liberalising the economy and dismantling the barriers. Not only that, we took advantage of the situation by restructuring our PSUs, enacting a legal framework for Public Private Partnership in infrastructure and setting up Global standards for ourselves. Our growth rate has been in double digit for the entire decade. Our growth rate in Industry has been around 13% for a decade.

We are monopoly producers and suppliers for several goods in the country. Whereas in many others, we are the leading suppliers. Several products of Gujarat, including polished diamonds and towels, are flooding the world markets. We have some of the world’s largest manufacturing and processing facilities (like Reliance in petroleum refining). We house some of the leading global industries (like the General Motors & Bombardier etc). With recent addition of several world class car manufacturers, we have emerged as a leading automobile hub. We are already a global player in the Steel, pipe, and pharmaceutical industries. Now, we are emerging as a global player in the Cement industry too. Our strength in the Oil and Gas is now recognised globally. With our 1600 km long coastline and world class ports on it, we handle 35% of the Cargo in India. These are those indicators on the basis of which India’s ascendance is recognised. And our contribution in them is substantial.

We call ourselves the ‘Growth Engine of India’ also because even in those fields where India as a country has not been able to do well, Gujarat is doing well and producing a model for others. Gujarat’s growth in agriculture has been at 10% for the last decade. Similar is the story in rural electrification. Gujarat has the capacity to supply uninterrupted power to all the rural households on a 24 X 7 basis. Similar is the case in designing and perfecting the PPP model for infrastructure development. Gujarat is not only the pioneer in it but the State is now recognised as the ‘Most Admired PPP Enabler’. There are a number of such areas where Gujarat has found innovative and effective solutions to long pending problems in public policy.

I am happy to say that Gujarat represents the elements of such a strong foundation and sustainable process. Gujarat is not only a landmass with conducive business environment; but it represents a true business spirit as well. Its people have shown their business acumen not only in the country but in the entire world. Its fundamentals are strong not in a particular sector but all across the economic and social sectors. Its vibrancy can be felt not only in the economic activities but also in social life. Gujaratis are known for their value systems and ethics which facilitate and sustain rewarding businesses as well as enriching life. We believe in making the pie bigger and sharing it too. That is why our work force remains satisfied. That is why we have almost zero mandays loss on account of labour problems.

In this age of globalisation, it is no longer the raw materials which attract people and projects. Now, the important factors are the transaction costs which depend upon the environment of business, the ease of business and the spirit of business. In addition, the quality of Governance, including the stability of governments and transparency in their policies, also matter a lot. I am proud to say that Gujarat offers you the best on these fronts. But we want to do still better. And we also know that with our strong fundamentals, we can do much better.

Friends! Gujarat has not only offered solutions to many of our historic problems; but it has also answered many of the debates in the global economics. The whole world has been struggling with dichotomy of the Big versus Small. Gujarat is an amazing model of the effective co-existence of the big and small; robust and inclusive; fast and yet sustainable. It has done wonderfully well on both the Macro and the Micro indicators. Our double digit growth rate of GDP has actually translated into a high growth in the per capita income of the people which is at 13.8%. Not only the multinationals and big companies have done well, but a large number of medium, small, rural and domestic ventures have also prospered. Not only the industry or agriculture has grown fast; but education and health services have expanded equally fast. We have not only created world class hospitals but have also made the poor people get good access to medical facilities (Chiranjeevi Yojna). We are not only known for exporting quality industrial products but our farmers have captured several foreign markets to supply agri-and horticulture produce.

Gujarat’s multi-faceted growth and excellence in various sectors has been recognised not only in the country but in the entire world. Our efforts inGood Governance have been applauded the world over. We have received around 200 national and international awards in the last ten years. They are in recognition of excellence in various fields. Last year, my office has got United Nation’s Public Service Award for improving the‘effectiveness, efficiency and quality of public service’. We are getting such awards on a weekly basis. Only last week, India Today has given us awards for outstanding improvement in Governance. However
, we treat these awards as just milestones in our journey. They are indicators that we are in the right direction. At the same time, our aim is very high. Our aim is to become a place which is globally preferred to live in and to do business.

Friends! We are aware of what we are aiming at. And we are working hard to achieve that. From our industrial clusters, Industrial estates and SEZs, we are now moving towards Special Investment Regions, which we call SIRs. These SIRs are going to be very big in size and scale. They will be developed as ‘Global Hubs of economic activity alongwith world class infrastructure, civic amenities and exemplary policy framework’. The development of these SIRs is in line with the development of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. These SIRs are going to become one of the biggest planned urban developments of the world. I am fond of calling them ‘a new Gujarat within Gujarat’. These developments are going to change the economic profile of the entire country. They will also make tremendous impact on the global economy. Our ports are going to play a very major role in this scheme of things. We are further upgrading the infrastructure between the upcoming Dedicated Freight Corridor and our ports. We are setting up Metro rail system and mega logistics parks. We are setting up new airports along the SIRs.

There is a huge potential for you in every field in these developments. There is lot of prudence for you to set up your businesses in these locations. Our job in the Government is to create the right kind of environment for you to come and enjoy your creativity. Gujarat is known for its handholding approach for the investors.

During my visit here and earlier also, I have seen lot of interest of Chinese companies in Gujarat. I welcome them and assure them of our full support. I also feel that alongwith the economic exchange, we should work on the cultural and people-t-people exchange. These factors will act as cementing factors. I once again invite you to Gujarat. I assure you of all my personal attention in realising your dreams. You will be surprised at the pace and pleasure with which your dreams materialise in Gujarat.

Thank You!