Gujarat CM pitches Gujarat’s growth story at Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference, Surat
SURAT: Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel on Friday inaugurated the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) in Surat, highlighting the state’s transformation into a major investment hub.
Gujarat has undergone a significant shift over the past two decades, overcoming challenges related to electricity, water and road infrastructure, he said. Initiatives such as the Jyotigram scheme ensured round-the-clock power supply, while Narmada waters were carried to arid regions like Kutch through an extensive canal and pipeline network.
“From basic infrastructure challenges, Gujarat has emerged as a model of balanced growth, with tourism flourishing from the Rann of Kutch to eco-tourism hubs in hilly regions,” Patel said.
Highlighting Gujarat’s maritime legacy, he said the state’s ports, which historically served as global trade centres, have been modernised to drive economic growth. Gujarat now handles 40 per cent of the country’s total cargo, turning its long coastline into a gateway of prosperity.
The Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit, launched in 2003 when Shri Narendra Modi was Chief Minister, has played a key role in positioning the state as a preferred investment destination, he said.
“Over the last 24 years, Gujarat has attracted USD 68.9 billion in foreign direct investment and contributes 18 per cent to the country’s industrial output,” Patel said.
The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences aim to bring investment opportunities to different regions based on their strengths. Earlier editions in North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch resulted in around 6,800 memorandums of understanding worth Rs 9 lakh crore, boosting local industries under the ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Local to Global’ initiatives.
Describing South Gujarat as a major industrial powerhouse, Patel said sectors such as textiles and gems and jewellery in Surat, chemicals and petrochemicals in Ankleshwar, Bharuch and Vapi, and pharmaceuticals and horticulture in Navsari and Valsad contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Gujarat holds a 33 per cent share in India’s chemical industry, he noted.
He added that Surat is emerging as a multi-modal transport hub with connectivity through dedicated freight corridors, highways, ports, airports, metro rail and the upcoming bullet train, which will further strengthen its position as a key economic centre.
“To realise the Prime Minister’s vision of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047, we have prepared the roadmap for Viksit Gujarat 2047, aligned with the goal of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” he said.
Union Jal Shakti Minister and Navsari MP C R Paatil, along with Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, were also present at the inaugural event.
