India Inc showers praises on Narendra Modi, Gujarat

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today came in for fulsome praise from India Inc with RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani hailing him as a leader with "grand vision" and his younger brother Anil Ambani of ADAG putting him in the league of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.

"In Narendra Bhai, we have a leader with a grand vision...Gujarat has been a pioneer state in infrastructure giving it an innate advantage," Mukesh Ambani said at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit which got off on Friday.

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The 3-day grand event aimed at investment promotion and creating investor friendly climate is being attended by top Indian industrialists and representatives of foreign companies and a battery of envoys.

"We began from Gujarat and we come back here again and again to invest. We have committed investment of Rs 100,000 crore (Rs 1 trillion) in Gujarat. We will expand our operations in Gujarat in Jamnagar and Hazira," Ambani said adding that the Reliance is proud to be called a "Gujarati company."

He also committed further investment of Rs 500 crore in Pandit Dindayal Upadhayay Petroleum University.

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His younger brother, Anil Ambani, put Modi in the league of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.

"Let me attempt to paint another picture: October 2, 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat - the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of the nation; October 31, 1875, Nariyal,

Gujarat - the birth of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's man of steel; December 28, 1932, Chorwad, Gujarat - the birth of Dhirubhai Ambani, India's greatest entrepreneur; and September 17, 1950, Vadnagar, Gujarat - the birth of Narendra Modi," he said.

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Anand Mahindra, of Mahindra and Mahindra group, said "Today people are talking about China model of development in Gujarat but day is not far when people will talk about Gujarat model of growth in China."

UK India Business Council (UKIBC) chair Patricia Hewitt, whose country ended decade-long boycott of the state imposed in the aftermath of 2002 communal riots in October

last year, lauded Gujarat for having maintained a near double digit growth rate in the last ten years which was more than that of China.

Ron Sommers, representing US India Business Council (USIBC) called Gujarat's progress "stunning".

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More accolades poured in for Modi, fresh from his triumph in the state assembly elections, with Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group Ratan Tata saying it would be "stupid" not to be in Gujarat which has an atmosphere conducive for industrial development.

"Earlier, I had said that it would be stupid to not be in Gujarat, But I was only stupid that apart from the Tata Chemicals investment made before we were not here. But now Tata group has committed to invest or invested Rs 34000 crore here," he said.

Tata, whose dream car 'Nano' project was forced out of West Bengal and shifted to Sanand in Gujarat, said he hoped the state will continue to be "unique in providing the industry-friendly environment".

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"Progress of Gujarat is stunning. It has set a new benchmark not only in India but across other countries in the world because Chief Minister Narendra Modi has shown that progress trumps politics. Gujarat has achieved double digit growth because of stability and sustainability," he said.

Chairman of the Regional Government of Astrakhan, a province in Russia, Konstantin Markelov congratulated Modi on his electoral success and wished him good luck for "victory at the national level".

Gujarat a "good state" to invest: Godrej

Terming Gujarat as a "good state" to invest, Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej today said the salt-to-soap conglomerate has lot of investments in the state and it will continue to do so in the coming days.

"We have several projects in Gujarat, we have large townships. It's a green township. We have also several industrial projects in the state. We will continue to invest. It's a good state to invest (in)," Godrej said.

Praising the efforts made by state Chief Minister Narendra Modi in ensuring overall development of the state, he said Gujarat is a "very development-oriented state" and the lives of people in the state have also improved.

"In almost every sector, Gujarat has made progress. What is very impressive is agricultural growth is also very strong. It grew by 9.5 per cent," he said, adding that being a power surplus state, Gujarat enjoys an unique advantage.

"My own group's experience has also been excellent," Godrej said.

Talking about his expectations from the ensuing Union Budget for 2013-14, the CII chief said the country needs growth badly and anything that encourages growth is welcome.

"What is very important is that this will be a growth-oriented budget. The country needs growth badly. Anything that encourages growth is welcome. Anything that affects the perception of the economy is not welcome," he said.