Use central agencies against Pakistan and not Gujarat: Modi
Ahmedabad: Upbeat by the victory in polls to local bodies, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said half of the issues related to terrorism would have been solved if central agencies were used against Pakistan instead of Gujarat. "Congress is using all the investigation agencies and intelligence agencies like the RAW, NIA, CBI and IB against Gujarat and me," Modi told a rally here. "The energy used by them against Gujarat for the last one and half years, if it was directed toward Pakistan half of the problem of terrorism would have been solved," Modi said, adding that he was saying this with full responsibility. "You (Centre) have misused constitutional bodies, you have used all the ways of oppression, but people of Gujarat have shown that they do not fear this kind of suppression," Modi said. BJP had made the arrest of junior home minister and close aide of Modi, Amit Shah's arrest by CBI in Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, as its core issue in local body elections. "If you try to disturb the democratically elected government, people will not tolerate it anywhere in the country," Modi said.

Parsi community honours Narendra Modi

Gandhinagar, March 10 : Udvada, a Gujarat town and place of pilgrimage for the Parsi community, should be developed into a global capital of religious harmony, Chief Minister Narendra Modi told community members who presented him a roll of honour here Thursday.

"Retain the cultural dignity of Udvada and congregate at least once in a year in celebration here," he added.

The delegation which included their global head Dasturji Shri Khurshedji Dastur and Udvada's head Dasturji Paston Mirza met the chief minister and presented him a roll of honour on behalf of the community.

The delegation invited the chief minister to the 1290th birthday celebration of Iranshah, being held in Udvada April 24, which he accepted.

Gujarat will power India's development: Narendra Modi

Gujarat will power India's development: Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi made a persuasive pitch to the global business community to consider his state for investment, saying his state's rapid growth would help in securing a position for India among the developed nations.

lGujarat is now moving towards securing a position for India among the developed nations of the world,' Modi said in a 30-minute, business-like presentation before more than 300 industrialists here to invite investor participation at the annual Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January in capital Gandhinagar.

“We have maintained double-digit growth for over a decade. Our agricultural growth rate is over 9.5 percent, against the national average of less than 2 percent,” Modi said. “I extend a hearty welcome. See the growth environment in Gujarat yourself, and decide.”

In the presentation, made entirely in English and peppered with corporate jargon, Modi said six industrial nodes were being developed in Gujarat with an investment of $30 billion, along the Mumbai-Delhi Industrial Corridor.

“This will be a new Gujarat within Gujarat. Around 30 percent of the corridor's length passes through Gujarat, with over 60 percent of the state's geographical area falling under its influence,” the Chief Minister said at the Taj Palace Hotel.

The Chief Minister and his aides pointed out that during the previous summit, more than 3,300 agreements worth $240 billion were signed by prospective investors. They also shared some statistics and data to push Gujarat as an attractive investment destination:

l Gujarat just 0.42 percent of working days lost, which is lowest in India

lGujarat boasts most number of airports in the country, numbering 14

lThe state is four-fifths the size of Britain

lTen out of 25 richest Indians are of Gujarati origin

lThirty percent of India's market capitalization is owed to Gujarati companies

lTwenty-two percent of India's exports come from the state

lThirty-nine percent of India's small and medium units are in Gujarat

lEight out of 10 diamonds globally processed in the state

According to Gujarat Chief Secretary A.K. Joti, the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2011 from January 12 was expected to attract more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 60 countries, including 100 eminent political leaders and diplomats.

The partner countries for the upcoming summit are Japan and Canada with the Confed-eration of Indian Industry (CII), United Nations Indus-trial Development Organiza-tion, Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) and Commonwealth Business Council as partners.

In the previous four summits, $14 billion was the investment committed by prospective investors, $20 billion in 2005 and $93 billion in 2007. Japan has been the partner country in all the summits.