Chief minister touts national highways, airport, and special incentives.
AB Wire
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WASHINGTON, DC: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is on a nine-day visit to the United States and Canada to promote Haryana as an investment destination, invited Indian Americans and US businesses to invest in his state.
Khattar was speaking at a dinner reception hosted by Indian Ambassador to the United States Arun K. Singh at the Embassy of India in Washington, DC, on August 18.
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Portraying Haryana’s investor-friendly environment, Khattar spoke about Haryana’s location advantage, new policies, infrastructure, transportation, work force and industry areas.
Khattar, who came to Washington from New York yesterday, is accompanied by a delegation of 32 people including government and business representative from Haryana.
Speaking with the American Bazaar, Khattar said, “A lot of people from Indian diaspora met us who are interested. We spoke with representatives from various states here. We have signed an MOU with UT (United Technologies). University of Medical Sciences has shown their interest. They are ready to work in public health services. So we have come with great excitement.”
Showcasing Haryana, Khattar said that the state’s location advantage is that it surrounds Delhi from three sides. He further added that Haryana government has declared a new policy, Enterprise Policy.
“In that all those areas of Haryana that have not developed as much in Industrial capacity, an equal opportunity to all the areas we will provide. Such areas where there is no industry, there will be special incentives that we have declared in that policy,” Khattar said.
Regarding infrastructure Khattar said that nine national highways have been approved for Haryana this year.
“So far all highways were going outside Delhi, now inter-district connectivity of all areas has been made possible,” Khattar said. He added that the that Kundli-Manesar-Palwal road, KMP road, also known as western peripheral road will be operational in two and a half years.
Speaking on transportation, Khattar said that the government has undertaken several new projects and initiatives. He told industrialists and investors about Haryana Government’s and Railway Ministry’s new initiative SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle).
“Similarly in Hisar an airport with MRO (maintenance and repair operations) facilities will be soon provided to all the industrialists and investors,” Khattar said. “[The] International airport, even though it falls in Delhi’s boundary, but for us its Haryana’s airport because its more near to Haryana than Delhi,” he continued.
Khattar said that Haryana is not short of a labor force.
“We have plenty of work force. What we need is contribution from various industries to improve and develop their skills and put them to work. For this we have started Haryana Kaushal Mission,” he said.
“We will give special importance to agro-based industry because raw material and agricultural products are available,” Khattar stated afterward. “Similarly, education, especially medical education, technical education, these will be our priorities. Other sectors for possible investment mentioned were aerospace, IT and defense.”
Khattar emphasized mutual benefit.
“Because without mutual benefit (of Haryana and investor) no one would work toward one-sided benefit,” he remarked.
Industry and Finance Minster Capt. Abhimanyu Singh Sindhu said, “In the line of new paradigm shift in the Indian diplomacy is that, decentralized diplomacy which is happening as, states are engaging on their own with respect of nations … Government of Haryana wants to take this opportunity forward in taking our industry and manufacturing and services to the next level.” He said that “Haryana is a state where you can actually experience red carpet instead of the red tape which you normally associate India with.”