Dehradun: As he pitched Uttarakhand as a prime destination for investment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people have voted for stable and strong governments in recent elections.
“An aspirational India does not want instability. Today, it wants a stable government,” Modi said, referring to the recent assembly elections in which his BJP won Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
He was addressing business leaders after inaugurating a two-day Uttarakhand Global Investors Summit at the Forest Research Institute here.
The Prime Minister suggested doing a SWOT analysis of today’s India, looking into the country’s strengths, weaknesses and threats.
“We see aspirations, hope, self-confidence, innovation and opportunities everywhere. You will see policy-driven governance.
“You will see a strong resolve of the people of the country for political stability,” he said.
He said these trends were seen during the recent elections and one in Uttarakhand last year. People voted for good governance.
“They voted on the basis of the track record of governance,” Modi said.
Modi also said India is set to become the world’s third-largest economy in the next few years, during his third term.
“For Indian companies, for India’s investors, it is the ideal time. India is all set to become the world’s third-biggest economy in a few years. It is bound to happen in my third term,” Modi noted.
“A stable government, supportive policy stream, an inclination to transform through reform and a resolve to march to development. This combination has happened for the first time. It is the right time,” he told investors at the summit.
The world is looking at India with hope and respect, he said.
“India is developing with confidence, having overcome challenges like Covid-19. If one compares India to other countries of the world, it looks in a league of its own,” the Prime Minister said.
He asked businesses to invest in Uttarakhand and partner in its development journey, assuring that they will not have any problems.
The Prime Minister also appealed to investors to strengthen the supply chain in a manner which curtails India’s dependence on other countries.
“Alongside increasing our exports, we have to cut down on our imports,” he said.
He asked investors to explore Uttarakhand’s limitless potential in various sectors and convert them into opportunities.
He emphasised growing road, air and rail connectivity infrastructure in the state and how it helped in promoting ease of doing business.
People experience a combination of divinity and development in Uttarakhand, the Prime Minister said.
“Nature, culture, heritage – Uttarakhand has everything. You have to explore them and convert them into opportunities.
“This land is full of potential. It will open new doors of growth for you,” Modi said.
Recalling his earlier remark during a visit to Kedarnath that the third decade of the century belongs to Uttarakhand, he said the prediction is coming true.
Modi also mocked the growing tendency among rich businessmen to go to foreign lands for destination weddings.
“There is an old saying that marriages are made in heaven. But then why are young couples going abroad for their wedding instead of coming to the land of gods (Devbhoomi). My prescription to the young and rich is that there should be a movement like ‘Wed in India’ along the lines of ‘Made in India’.
“If rich business families start holding their family marriages in Uttarakhand and even if 5,000 marriages start taking place here in a year, it will emerge as a major wedding destination,” Modi said.
Modi also launched the House of Himalayas brand to promote local products manufactured by women’s self-help groups in the international markets.
Congratulating the state government for the launch of the brand, Modi said it was in keeping with the concept of Vocal for Local and Local to Global.
“It will give identity to local products in the markets abroad. It will also help fulfil my commitment of making 2 crore Lakhpati didis (sisters) in the time to come,” the Prime Minister said.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also welcomed the investors to the state, assuring them of the support of a double-engine government, which has framed investor-friendly policies to make it convenient for them.
“With a supportive government, investor-friendly policies, good law and order, and salubrious climate, Uttarakhand waits for you all to invest in the state and become partners in its growth story,” Dhami said.
Representatives of leading business houses expressed their intent to invest in the state and praised the Prime Minister for his visionary leadership and the chief minister for his commitment to make the state a powerhouse of development.
The two-day summit aims to promote the hill state as a major investment destination.
Preparations for the summit had been going on for months in advance. It is being attended by more than a thousand investors and delegates from across the country and abroad.
The target of the summit was to sign MoUs worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore but it has already exceeded that limit to reach around Rs 3 lakh crore in the run-up to the event, which saw various roadshows being held by Dhami in India’s metro cities as well as London, Birmingham in the UK, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
