With Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh praising Gujarat as the “mother of opportunities”, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, on Monday evening, concluded the Seventh Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2015 with the announcement that over 21,000 MoUs have been signed by Indian and international investors, pledging investments to the tune of Rs 25 lakh crore.
Addressing the Valedictory Function of the three-day event, she said the State Government will constitute three committees to follow up on these pledges and monitor progress on the proposed projects. While a committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will monitor these investments on a monthly basis, another official committee will interact with the Centre to secure various permissions. A third one, headed by the Chief Minister, will evolve policies, review progress and promote the investments.
Patel pointed out that Vibrant Gujarat, ever since its inception in 2003, has emerged as a “Davos-in-Action”. “Although we invited all the Prime Ministers in the past, no one cared to attend the event. For the first time, a PM (Narendra Modi) did, particularly as it was his own brainchild.”
In fact, she said, the Summit has become so institutionalized now that it is on an “auto pilot”. It is no longer a biennial event but, like a river, a continuous flow of events and processes, making the state “Gatisheel Gujarat” (Dynamic Gujarat).
Earlier, praising Modi, the Home Minister said for the first time since 1947, India produced a leader who “overturned” politics in the country. Like Vibrant Gujarat, Modi has given India several of his “brainchildren”. “He changed political idiom and discourse,” he said, adding he expected the PM will metamorphose Vibrant Gujarat into a “Vibrant India” event.
Modi gave an impeccable law and order in Gujarat, a prerequisite for economic development, Singh added.
Rajnath also disclosed that his mother’s name was “Gujarati Devi”!
Others who spoke on the occasion included industrialists Gautam Adani and Cyrus Mistry, Yes Bank CEO Rana Kapoor, Canada MP Patrick Brown and Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth.
Gujarat Chief Secretary D J Pandian proposed a vote of thanks.