12 MoU for Rs 32,000 cr inked at Gwalior Meet

Gwalior, Jul 29 (UNI) Twelve memoranda of understanding (MoU) were inked for investment of Rs 32,000 crore on the inaugural day of a two-day Investors' Meet that got underway here today.

The Japan External Trade Organisation signed a MoU for the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Of the MoU inked today, MoU worth Rs 2,855 cr were for Gwalior region. A Rs 1,300 cr cement plant, a Rs 1,000 cr real estate unit, a Rs 105 cr sponge iron unit and a Rs 450 crore bioenergy unit would be set up in this region, an official release said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while inaugurating the meet, said, ''for the facility of entrepreneurs of Gwalior region the Udyog Mitra Yojana will be extended for another six years.'' Prominent among those present were MP Yashodhara Raje Scindia, industrialists V N Dhoot, Raghupati Singhania, Sajjan Jindal, Vinod Mittal, Pankaj Munjal and H Ikava.

''Realising the importance of infrastructure, the present government has paid utmost attention to this sector. Over 40,000 km of quality roads were laid. Generation capacity was increased by 2,950 MW over the past four-and-a-half years. Irrigation potential was created for additional 13 lakh hectares,'' said Mr Chouhan.

Claiming that investors' meets were not a political ritual for the present state government, he added that initial work on 95 per cent of 241 MoU for investment of Rs 2,77,000 crore had already begun. The Investment Facilitation Bill was passed and the Special Economic Zone Act, 2003 for Indore extended to the entire state.

Referring to the geographical position of Gwalior region, the Chief Minister said, ''it is well-connected by air, road and rail and its proximity to Delhi is an added benefit. Now the ravines of Gwalior region will no longer produce dacoits, but jatropha. I invite industrialists to invest in textiles, food-processing and real estate here.'' State Industry Minister Jayant Malaiya said Gwalior had immense possibilities for expansion of Business Process Outsourcing services due to growing population pressure in Delhi. A Habitat Centre is being established here over seven-and-a-half acres.

UNI Team-AC GL CS2132