CM's Interview-Madhya Pradesh on the move

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaks on his vision for the state, and the steps his government has taken to propel it forward.

“We want to make Madhya Pradesh a world class state”

Question: What is your vision for Madhya Pradesh and its citizens?
Answer: We want to make Madhya Pradesh world-class in all respects. From the cities to the small towns and villages, we have drawn up several initiatives to elevate standards of living and bring about holistic development.
Our vision is to bring about all round development covering all sectors of the economy including education, technology, industry and infrastructure. We are also committed to social welfare of all sections of the state’s society.
Question: What opportunities does Madhya Pradesh offer for investors?
Answer: The state offers enormous business opportunities for investments. Madhya Pradesh has several strengths – its location, climate, educational institutions, booming economy, rich cultural and intellectual heritage, hard-working peaceful people and a highly competent and committed bureaucracy.
Concerted efforts are being made in infrastructure development, health, education, water resources and in employment generation. Madhya Pradesh is already witnessing rising investments in industries and visible improvement in the state’s finances and infrastructure.
Food processing, information technology, cultivation of medicinal plants, better irrigation facilities and road connectivity will change the face of rural Madhya Pradesh within a few years.
The government recently organized a very successful investor’s meet. The response was overwhelming. Over 90 companies have committed to invest in the state. They included big companies like Bharat Petroleum, Vardhman Group, Pratibha syntax, Bridgestone, Eicher Motors, Grasim Industries, JK Tyres and others.
Question: What steps have you taken to improve governance in the state?
Answer: We have taken many steps to ensure a more responsive government. E-governance is a major thrust area of the state with Bhopal. This allows us to remotely monitor and track the various development programs.
I abhor digital divide and I am committed to meet the challenge squarely.
We have ensured that the bureaucracy is also more responsive. It is playing the role of a facilitator.
The major challenge is to improve work culture within the government and resolve people’s problems as fast as possible. An Online Samadhan Program has been introduced to resolve peoples problems. Along with this, grievance redressal camps are organized in districts. These camps are different in approach, strategy and philosophy.
Recently benefits of more than Rs 150 crore were distributed in a short span of time in these camps. These camps are oriented more towards providing solutions than just collecting grievances.
Madhya Pradesh is already witnessing rising investments in industry and visible improvement in the state’s finances and infrastructure.
Question: What are you doing to spread the IT revolution in Madhya Pradesh?
Answer: We recently announced an IT policy that
Seeks to attract investments from IT companies in the form of new ventures in cities like Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur. We are offering free land and rebates to IT companies who create a lot of jobs. They would be kept out of the scope of the Factories Act, Minimum Wages Act etc.
To nurture talent, we plan introduce IT training in select government schools, centers of excellence in all government engineering colleges and select government colleges, a center of e-governance in Bhopal etc.
In the infrastructure area, we are also building a State Wide Area Network (SWAN), a GIS-based Natural Resource Management System (NRMS) a data center in Bhopal, and a disaster recovery site in Gwalior.
Question: What is the state of infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh?
Answer: We have invested heavily in power, roads, air connective3ity and the information highway, In Bhopal, power cuts are a thing of the past.
Madhya Pradesh’s north-eastern belt has huge reserves of coal. This zone will soon become the power hub of the country, producing about 10,000 MW of thermal power. We have reconstituted five independent companies to improve the quality of power distribution and transmission, and also to increase power generation.
Over 12,000 km of new road has been built, connecting all the tourist destinations, with private sector. Rural connectivity has also been given the utmost priority.
We have plans to upgrade the airports at Bhopal and Indore, both for cargo as well as for passengers, to international standards.
Question: What about health and education?
Answer: Healthcare facilities in the state are at par with the best in the country. We have initiated substantial and effective measures to reach health services to citizens even in the far-flung and remote areas of the state.
My government has taken several initiatives to extend elementary education and training for teachers. All these steps would help realize our dream of making Madhya Pradesh a fully literate state by 2010.
Question: How is the health of the state’s finances?
Answer: The fact that Madhya Pradesh has not resorted to over-draft in the last two years is a good indication of improved day-to-day fiscal management. During 2004-05, the revenue deficit was Rs 1,032.48 crore, which was brought down to Rs 25.49 crore in 2005-06. During 2006-07, the state is expected to have a revenue surplus of Rs 970.22 crore.
The reduction in the revenue deficit enabled us to increase capital expenditure. The plan capital expenditure was Rs 3,567.99 crore in 2004-05 and is estimated to be Rs 4,785.08 during 2006-07.
Question: What is the MP government doing for agriculture?
Answer: The Government of India has sanctioned five agricultural export zones and six food parks. This will give a big boost to agriculture.
In the agriculture sector as a whole, the progress has been impressive. From a sluggish growth rate of 1.5 to 2 per cent in the 1980s, it has made rapid strides, growing at the rate of 4.5 percent, faster than the country’s average of 3.1 percent.
Question: Madhya Pradesh has some great tourist attractions. What are you doing to promote this sector?
Answer: Our tourism policy is aimed at realizing the potential of Madhya Pradesh as a tourist destination. The state boasts enormous natural diversity and a rich heritage. Our policy is to encourage private sector participation in building the tourism infrastructure. The key focus areas are adventure tourism, eco tourism, heritage tourism.
MP has so many spectacular forts and palaces that can be converted into exclusive hotels. The government is willing to set up joint venture companies with the private4 sector by offering properties for equity participation.
We have also given many incentives to the sector. Tourism has been declared an industry. 100 percent tax exemption is provided on transport on tourism circuits, and vehicles used for eco-tourism.
The excise policy has been made more liberal for tourism.
The state also proposes to set up joint ventures with the private sector for developing 228 acres of land owned by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.
The budget for the tourism infrastructure has been doubled to Rs 57.19 crore.
Question: What is your message for non-resident Indians who may wish to invest in Madhya Pradesh?
Answer: My message is simple : Madhya Pradesh is one of the fastest growing states in the country. Our vision is to create a world-class state by providing better governance and building better infrastructure. And we are committed to providing an investment-friendly policy environment for all those who wish to invest here.