Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit Sunday Jan 11,2015

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday Jan 11,2015 that in less than eight months his government has converted India into a land of opportunities. 

Addressing the high-profile gathering that included US Secretary of State John Kerry, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit here, Modi said: “In a short span of seven months, we have been able to change the atmosphere of despair and uncertainty in the nation.” 

Launched by Narendra Modi as a chief minister in 2003, the Vibrant Gujarat event was evolved to attract investment into the state, but is now positioned to work for India as a whole. 

Urging countries, businesses and investors to be part of India’s “growth story”, PM Narendra Modi claimed: “There is an atmosphere of cooperation towards India. We are trying to generate confidence for investment in the country. My government is committed to create a policy environment that is predictable, transparent and fair.” 

He further said: “We will have to change the way we have been approaching problems. Recession is often seen just in the context of business and industry. Have we ever thought of recession as being the result of low per capita income in countries where a majority of global population lives? Have we ever thought of its solution in terms of enhancing the common  man’s employability, income and purchasing power?” 

Modi went on: “The best outcome of this event should be inclusiveness and involvement of communities needing care and development.” 

Modi referred to the present summit and said: “This event is perhaps the biggest gathering on earth where a budding entrepreneur has opportunity to see the president of the World Bank and where a young farmer can listen to the views of the UN secretary general on issues like food security. Your (world leaders’) presence today has enhanced the enterprising streak of 60 million Gujaratis and has boosted the morale of 1.2 billion Indians.” 

Speaking at the summit, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon  lauded the Indian government’s efforts in using more renewable energy and said he hopes that all world leaders and businesses will be inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision and teachings. 

“Gujarat is a state where technology meets climate action, where entrepreneur meet clear energy, where young people meet job opportunities... Dynamic state This dynamic state has long been a cultural crossover to the world. Today, it can also be a crossroad for a new era of sustainable development,” he said on the first day of the three-day summit. 

US Secretary of State Kerry said: “President Barack Obama is very excited and particularly pleased with the fact that he will be the first US president to be honoured as the chief guest on Republic Day commemoration. Modi had invited the US president to be the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day celebrations. Obama accepted the invitation in signs of expanding ties between the two nations. And he will be the first sitting US president to visit India twice while in office.”

Mahatma Mandir convention centre

 The Mahatma Mandir convention centre, the venue for the two high-profile events Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and the seventh edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit has impressed visiting delegates of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and Vibrant Gujarat summits. It was constructed in record time and is the brainchild of PM Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi wanted to develop a permanent convention centre in the Gujarat capital to house global events when he was the CM. To pay tribute to the ‘son of the soil’, sand brought in urns by the representatives of all 18,066 villages of Gujarat was emptied in the building’s foundation. 

A ‘time capsule’ containing the history of the state was also buried under the structure.

Phase 1 of Mahatma Mandir was completed in nine months from May 2010 to January 2011 at a cost of Rs 135 crore. It includes a convention centre, three big exhibition halls and small halls. 

Phase 2 included construction of a salt mound memorial, a garden, a suspension bridge, windmills and development of parking space at a cost of Rs 80 crore. 

The convention centre and exhibition hall are designed to meet the requirements for organising global meets, conventions, seminars, conferences and exhibitions of both national and international levels with state-of-the-art facilities