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The Economic Times Kolkata Monday 15January 2007


Global Bihar meet draws , Kalam, Doc interest

Ashok K Mishra
PATNA

WHEN president APJ Abdul Kalam arrives here on January 19 for the three-day global meet on resurgent Bihar, it will be his fourth visit to the state in less than 14 months. His repeated trips to Bihar underlines his growing interest in the state, perhaps a vindication of his believe that it can retrieve past glory.

If the president is optimistic on Bihar, prime minister Manmahan Singh, too, is willing to take a positive call on the state.
Only a few days back, Dr Singh exhorted Bihari NRIs, particulady from Mauritius, to invest in the state. In his address to the Pravasi Bhartiya Sammelan, Dr Singh urged the NRIs to make a "Mauritius out of Bihar".

"We are delighted that the president will inaugurate the global meet. It will really be a big boost for the event. The prime minister's positive vibes coming just ahead of the meet will also mean a lot for the event," said Ajay Kumar, editor, bihartimes.com - a news portal and among the meet's organisers.

The global meet is being seen as an attempt to repackage Bihar as an investment destination. Apart from the Bihari NRls, some of the prominent names of industry and other fields, including Dr Meghnad Desai, ITC Chairman Y Deveshwar, YK AIagh and C Rangarajan, are scheduled to attend the meet. For the state government, it will be an opportunity to showcase Bihar as a place which is now condudve for development.

"Yes, we will use the forum for presenting our growth story plans and the steps we have already initiated to help create an investor-friendly climate," said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who is also the chairman of the steering committee of the meet.

Mr Modi, who has been regulady holding meetings for ensuring the success of the event, maintained Bihari NRIs were now evincing interest in investing in the state.

 


 

C.M.  Shri Nitish Kumar. Dy. C.M. Shri Sushil Kr. Modi Inst. for Human Development BIHAR TIMES Official Website of Bihar Govt.