Gujarat Minister Harsh Sanghavi recently made a unique investment pitch in Bengal, emphasizing the similarities between West Bengal and Gujarat. Sanghavi, who was attending a roadshow as part of a Vibrant Gujarat event in Kolkata, highlighted the commonalities in language and celebrations between the two states. He stated, “Just like we say ‘kem cho’, you say ‘kemon acho’ when you meet someone familiar.” Sanghavi, who holds the Home and Industries portfolios in Gujarat, expressed his belief that Gujarat and Bengal can progress together.
During the event, Sanghavi shared insights into the success of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit and showcased Gujarat as a role model for development and investment over the past two decades. He emphasized the state’s policy-driven approach, including various initiatives like the Gujarat Renewable Policy 2023, Atmanirbhar Gujarat Scheme 2022, Integrated Logistics and Logistics Park Policy 2021, Electric Vehicle Policy 2021, Tourism Policy, and Textile Policy, which have contributed to Gujarat’s attractiveness for investment.
Sanghavi also highlighted Gujarat’s industrial development, particularly special investment zones such as Gift City, Dholera, and Mandal-Bechraji, along with Petrochemicals Investment Zones, Dream City, Sanand Manufacturing Hub, Logistics Park, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, and Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail. He emphasized that Gujarat boasts world-class infrastructure.
Encouraging investment in Gujarat, Sanghavi invited the audience to participate in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit. He shared the success story of Tata Motors, which decided to shift its project from Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat due to protests over land acquisition. Despite the factory being in an advanced stage of construction, the West Bengal government won the case over the land in the Supreme Court, which deemed the land acquisition illegal.
In a veiled dig at the situation, Sanghavi stated, “I cannot tell you to take your business to Gujarat because, if I do that, you will face problems here. But consider setting up businesses in Gujarat. I can tell you that you will recover the value of every penny of investment in Gujarat.”
Overall, Sanghavi’s investment pitch aimed to showcase Gujarat as an attractive investment destination and encourage active participation in the state’s developmental journey.
