The first edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit was held in 2003 under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, to give a spur to the investments in Gujarat. Since then, it has played the role of a catalyst leading to several other such summits annually in states across the country. His path of creating a Vibrant Gujarat as a shining example of Development and Governance did not come easy. It was a path littered with adversities and challenges. Through the last decade if there is one constant trait of Narendra Modi that has stood out it is his Strong Leadership in the face of grave adversity. Vibrant Gujarat has contributed to the confidence building of our enterprises. It has also helped in capacity building and adoption of global best practices, by government agencies. His approach to governance has always been viewed as being above politics. One thing is clear that he never let political differences get in the way of pursuing solutions to developmental challenges. Vibrant Gujarat has contributed greatly to the overall growth of the State. PM Modi, a master strategist enriched by national and international exposure and experience has decided to take the bull by its horns and is turning adversity into an opportunity. Modi wants Gujarat to become a “first world” State as his mission is just one: “Gujarat ki seva”. The efforts of Modi’s government have resulted in the metamorphosis of a revenue deficit state into a revenue surplus state. He believes in the fact that good infrastructure is the driver of economic development. He has rightly said that “Gujarat is an ideal investment destination.” One would find that Gujarat today is a leading industrialised state in the country and is not only an ideal investment destination in the world, but also a coveted place to live and do business. Modi’s political acumen and administrative skills could be extracted from the development projects he carried out in Gujarat. He supported privatisation and globalisation. He established financial and technology parks, started Vibrant Gujarat Summit to attract domestic and foreign investments, started multiple infrastructure projects, and boosted industrialisation to a colossal extent. With massive success at the state level, his performance was duly recognised by the BJP high command. With a past record of rapid urbanisation and development agenda to transform the nation, Narendra Modi fought the elections and received a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha. Gujarat is now the favourite choice for many business establishments beating many other contemporary states who are still coping with internal problems to support new establishments. He rightly said that “India is now ready for business. In the last four years, we have jumped 65 places of global ranking of ease of doing business. I have asked my team to work harder to ensure India is on the top 50 next years.” He also added, “We have also made Doing Business cheaper. India is now ready for business. In the last four years, we have jumped 65 places of global ranking of ease of doing business. I have asked my team to work harder to ensure India is on the top 50 next years. In the decade since, Modi has remade himself as a business-savvy, investor-friendly administrator, a charismatic leader who has presided over a booming economy and lured major foreign and Indian companies to invest in his sprawling coastal state, famed for its spirit of entrepreneurship and as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Modi is a polarising figure, evoking visceral reactions across the political spectrum.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
