Khandu invites investors to State with attractive sops

From Our Correspondent

Itagar, Jan 12: Opening wide the gate to investors from across the globe to venture into Aruchal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has asserted that with its strategic location between Bhutan, Chi and Myanmar vis-à-vis  Centre’s Act East Policy, the state offers immeasurable opportunities for business and growth in the  years to come.

Convening an Investor’s Meet with top-shot entrepreneurs at Ahmedabad in a city hotel on the side-lines of the iugural function of the 8th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on Tuesday evening, Khandu categorically stated that Aruchal Pradesh is ready to accept investments in Agriculture, Horticulture and Tourism sectors immediately to begin with, an official communiqué informed here today.

“Aruchal Pradesh is favourably situated between the huge markets of mainland India in the South and South-Asian countries beyond its borders,” he pointed out.

The Chief Minister observed that Aruchal Pradesh remained closed to investors from outside due to its remoteness and poor market. However, he said the state is opening up its treasure trove with better communication network like the Trans Aruchal Highway, Advance Landing Grounds, and extension of railway lines, better bridges, etc and a more congenial atmosphere of doing brisk business.

“Aruchal Pradesh now means serious business and that’s why we are here today,” he remarked. Hosts of business houses based in Gujarat and elsewhere, while expressing their keen interest in doing business in Aruchal Pradesh, swarmed the Aruchal help-desk with their inquisitives on existing investment policy, Land Laws, Tax structures, mobility within and beyond the State, Banking facilities, etc.

The investors, which also included the Sun Group, expressed keen interest in high-end tourism, luxury hotels, solar power, education, food processing and other agriculture and horticulture related sectors. Several probable investors also raised issues relating to State’s take on investor oriented investment policies, flexibility of laws, to which the Chief Minister assured assistance in the form of investor friendly policies, subsidies from Union Government, tax holidays and single window clearances.

The Chief Minister invited the investors to Aruchal Pradesh where a semir on investment will be organised to address issues of the investors in detail. It is expected that about 20 potential investors from Gujarat who expressed their keen interest on investing in Aruchal Pradesh will visit the State in the month of February to explore areas of investment.

Deputy Chief Minister Chow Mein, Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism PD So, Chief Secretary Shakuntala D Gamlin, Principal Secretary (Home) Satya Gopal and Commissioner Investment Ashis Kundra who shared the desk with the Chief Minister assisted him in replying to the queries raised by the investors, the communiqué added.