Energy, IT cos interested in Gujarat foray

Hyderabad, Dec. 5: Hyderabad-based companies, especially those from information technology and energy, appear to have shown interest in expanding their businesses to Gujarat, says a top official.

“Many IT companies from Andhra Pradesh have shown interest in investing in Gujarat in the areas of technological innovation and transfer,” Mr Maheshwar Sahu, principal secretary, industries and mines department, government of Gujarat, told this correspondent.

Apart from IT firms, Mr Sahu said the Gujarat government got a positive response from companies, who are interested in investing in energy (thermal and green) and infrastructure sector in the state.

The Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi was in the state as part of a series of pre-summit events for Vibrant Gujarat 2011, a biennial investors summit hosted by the government of Gujarat.

Mr Modi held a close-door meeting with CEOs of select few companies based in Hyderabad and addressed a group of business delegates on Sunday here, inviting them to invest in his state.

Complimenting the city for its prowess in information technology, Mr Modi claimed that his state is one of the biggest clients and customers of IT in Hyderabad and there is an immense scope of learning for Gujarat in this sector.

Apart from inviting investors from Andhra Pradesh to Vibrant Gujarat summit to be held on January 12-13 in Gandhinagar, he asked other state governments to participate in the event to woo global investments.