Modi’s initiatives get big applause

January 10, 2017 11:38 pm | Updated 11:38 pm IST - GANDHINAGAR:

Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani were among the business honchos who took pride in the fact they “were Gujaratis” while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “transformative leadership” that changed Gujarat into the “most dynamic and preferred business hub.”

The three were among the 20 speakers that included CEOs of Japan’s automaker Suzuki, America’s CISCO and Emerson; PMs of Portugal and Serbia; Deputy PM of Russia and Ministers from France and Israel at the inauguration of the 8th Vibrant Gujarat Summit being held at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar. All speakers lavished praise on the Prime Minister and his initiatives like Make In India, Digital India, Start up India and Swachh Bharat.

“Most respected Pradhan Mantriji, history will record you as a great transformative leader. You first transformed Gujarat. You are now transforming India with a series of historic and visionary initiatives,” said Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani, who said his company invested more than 2.4 lakh crore in its various projects in the State.

Mr. Ambani announced that Reliance Jio would connect all schools, colleges, hospitals and medical institutes with high speed bandwidth in the State. He called Gujarat as “sacred land” for him and said the Reliance group has roots in Gujarat.

Similarly, Tata group’s interim chairman Ratan Tata, who is locked in a bitter legal fight with sacked chairman Cyrus Mistry, said his decision to shift the Nano car factory from West Bengal to Gujarat led to the State becoming an auto hub with carmakers like Suzuki, Honda and Ford setting up their factories here. “Some years ago when I attended the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, I said that if you are not in Gujarat, you are stupid. And some years later I can say that you are indeed stupid if you are not in Gujarat, which is one of the fastest growing States,” he said.

Canadian tycoon Prem Watsa, head of Fairfax Financial Holdings called the Prime Minister as the most business-friendly leader in India. “For the first time in 67 years, India has an unabashedly business-friendly government after Modi was elected as PM in 2014.”

Peter Huntsman, President and CEO of Texas-based Huntsman Corporation, said Mr. Modi “can take over the leadership of his country also.”

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