Heaping praises on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for not only driving industrial growth but also boosting rural development, Ratan Tata said on Wednesday his Group will partner the state in providing transportation into the hinterlands.
"The leadership of Narendra Modi has proved that Gujarat is not only seeing industrial growth but is also witnessing rural development," Tata said at the 5th Global Summit of Vibrant Gujarat in Ahmedabad.
The Tata group has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government to provide rural transportation, he added.
This will be in addition to the ongoing rural initiatives such as skills development activities, sanitation and water projects where the group is already a partner.
"Today the group has a total investment in the excess of Rs 30,000 crore (in Gujarat) and employs 50,000 people directly and several more indirectly. I am here to say that the investments will continue as we move forward," Tata said.
Unlike Anil Ambani led Reliance Group or the Adani Group, Tata did not announce any mega investment.
He, however, said Tata group's participation at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit reflects its involvement in Gujarat. Group firms like Tata Chemicals, TCS, Tata Power, Tata Teleservices are already investing in the state.
". . . and, of course, the most visible one is Tata Motors for the Tata Nano," Tata said, while thanking Modi for the swift action that led to the setting up of the small car plant at Sanand in the state.
"When we had to withdraw from Kolkata (Singur) and were looking for a location which was safe, We had offers from many states and of course one from Mr Narendra Modi. He promised to confirm the allotment of land within a few days and the few days became three days," he recalled.
Tata Motors had shifted its manufacturing base from the original location at Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat in October 2008 following violence and political opposition.
Image: Ratan Tata
