Ambassadors from 16 nations, top investors to attend

SHIMLA: Ambassadors from 16 countries, top business houses – both from India and abroad, are among 1,100 delegates headed for Himachal Pradesh to participate in two-day Global Investors' meet 2019, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate at Dharamshala on November 7.

The countries which have confirmed participation include UAE, Singapore, Australia, Netherland, USA, Russia, Britain, Switzerland, Malaysia, Poland, Israel, Vietnam, Zambia and Belgium.

State's Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who plays host to the firstof-its-kind meet to hard sell Himachal Pradesh potential in major sectors, told media here on Sunday that Mous worth Rs 83,000 crore has already been signed against a target of Rs 85,000 crore set-out by the government.

“I am not saying there will be 100 per cent success in bringing all committed investment on the ground but we will have a substantial sectoral breakthrough in the efforts. Some of the sectors will surely see a breakthrough looking at the seriousness with which things have been worked out,” he told Millennium Post.

Thakur also recalls his recent roadshows in three countries including Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore, besides in Indian cities of Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. The response shown by the investors in areas like Food processing, tourism and hotel industry, Wellness, Health, IT, hydropower, skill development and manufacturing is an indicator to Himachal's socio-economic growth, and employment generation.

The state with its meagre sources,

Chief Minister admitted, can't make progress unless the private sector joins hands. There are geographical factors and challenges also on the lesser developed road and air connectivity.

“Yet, these are issues which are also being addressed on a priority basis, apart from relaxing /simplifying norms to grant approvals to the investors. Major headway has already been made in this area after discussions with investors,” said Thakur. Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Sanjay Kundu said, “Very fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had held a meeting with Chief Secretary Srikant Baldi and Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Manoj Kumar shows the seriousness of two governments, both centre and state, to get action on the ground.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will preside over the valedictory session while several other union ministers viz Piyush Goyal, Union minister for railways and commerce, Prahalad Patel, Tourism minister and MOS (Finance) Anurag Thakur are also attending.