Chhattisgarh Extends Warm Welcome to Investors

Mumbai, Jan 23 (NationPress) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai announced on Thursday that the state government is fully prepared to attract investments in textile, technical textile, tourism, information technology, semiconductors, data centres, infrastructure, health, education, manufacturing, and services, in addition to the promising growth in steel, mining, and power generation.

The Chief Minister stated that the state government has recently unveiled its new industrial policy, which includes a range of incentives for investors, and has granted industry status to the tourism sector to fully leverage its potential.

“The government’s goal is to generate five lakh jobs within five years,” the Chief Minister remarked.

While addressing the investors' conference, the Chief Minister informed reporters that the government has conducted sector-specific investor meetings in Raipur, Delhi, and Mumbai, with plans for similar events in Bangalore and abroad, actively inviting investors.

“At the Raipur meeting, we received investment intentions totaling Rs 43,000 crore, in Delhi Rs 17,000 crore, and in Mumbai over Rs 6,000 crore. This is just the start as we seek to engage investors to visit Chhattisgarh and finalize their investment decisions,” he stated.

The Chief Minister also expressed hopes of organizing an investors' conference in October-November this year, emphasizing that Chhattisgarh's central location, excellent connectivity, and absence of industrial and labor conflicts make it an attractive destination.

He highlighted that the ‘double-engine sarkar’ - the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state - is collaborating to eliminate Maoism by March 2026.

According to the Chief Minister, the state government’s campaign against Maoism has been effective, resulting in the deaths of nearly 240 Maoists within a year.

“We have eliminated a central committee member of the Maoist group, for whom a reward of Rs 1 crore was offered, along with 15 associates on the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border,” he added.

He noted that Maoism is confined to just five smaller districts in the Bastar region, primarily in densely forested areas.

The Chief Minister asserted that the government’s efforts against Maoism have received national recognition.

“Maoism only occupies about 5 percent of Chhattisgarh’s 1,35,000 sq km area and is located approximately 300 to 400 km from Raipur airport. Due to the decisive actions taken by the Centre and the state, existing units are thriving and expanding. Many investors are showing interest in the state, including the Adani Group, which announced an investment of Rs 75,000 crore, and the state anticipates Rs 1 lakh crore in investments in the steel sector over the next five to six years,” he shared.

The Chief Minister also pointed out that tourism is a sector expected to attract significant investments.

“The government is proactively developing a textile park in Janjgir district, having already allocated 350 acres of land for this purpose,” he noted.

He added that the government offers Rs 15,000 to textile sector units for skill development, enabling them to train job seekers with necessary skills from the state.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence in altering investors' perceptions regarding Maoism, primarily due to the ongoing efforts to eradicate it.

“When Chhattisgarh was established, there were merely 3,000 industrial units; now, we have 28,000 units, and this number is expected to grow due to our comprehensive policies against Maoism and pro-investor initiatives,” he remarked.

Additionally, the Chief Minister engaged with several industrial giants, including Aditya Birla Group, Godrej Group, Essar, Welspun, Pidilite, Drools, and Nantex Machinery.

He also held discussions with US Consul General Mike Hankey and Russian Consul General Ivan Fetisov.