welcome in gujarat

Where azure seas meet sparkling sands, blushing sunsets embrace rosy dawns. Marble temples white and pure, reflect the glory of the days of yore. Age-old palaces browned in the sun and water parks for a day of fun. Here tribal life is a celebration, of music, dance and multi-coloured traditions. Gujarat.

Situated on the western coast of the Indian Peninsula, the state is bound by the Arabian Sea on the west, Pakistan and Rajasthan in the north and northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the southeast and Maharashtra in the south. Rich in crafts, history and natural beauty, this home state of Mahatma Gandhi continues to attract artists, scholars, intellectuals and businessmen from the world over.

Gujarat derives its name from the "Gurjars" who passed through Punjab and settled in some parts of Western India. Ever since its inception, Gujarat has been showing a new direction to the nation, charged with the ambition to be on par with the economic growth rate of developed nations. The entrepreneurial skills that run in the nerves of Gujarati’s, their quest for knowledge and the burning spirit to innovate and modernise, has elevated the position of Gujarat to being a leading industrialised state of India.

Today, it houses a number of multinational corporations, large private sector companies, strong public sector enterprises and a large number of medium- and small-scale units.

Backed by a stable and strong government and industrial- friendly policies, Gujarat has set the ball rolling to achieve progress in various sectors and to fully harness the potential for development and investment.

Standing testimony to Gujarat’s multi-dimensional disposition is the fact that Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit 2005, organised in Ahmedabad, attracted a large number of Indian and international business delegates. The thrust areas for this investment summit were information technology, biotech, agro industries, energy, gas, petroleum, non-conventional energy, port and port-led industries, financial services, textiles and apparels, gems and jewelery and tourism. The summit culminated with an impressive tally of investment commitments worth Rs 1,061 billion in the form of 226 memoranda of under- standing (MoUs).

Today, implementation of new projects has seen the rail and road connectivity undergoing a drastic and rapid development in Gujarat, which is bound to give a major fillip to the ex-im activities of this dynamic state. Besides, with the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, envisaging a pivotal role for the state in taking India to the peak of manufacturing competitiveness, Gujarat is set to write a new chapter of growth.

Mr Modi has vowed to make Gujarat the special economic zone (SEZ) Capital of the country by 2010, which means ex-im trade activities to and from the state are bound to multiply and its maritime industry will be busier than ever.


Gujarat — A forerunning maritime state

Gujarat is a principal maritime state, endowed with natural coastline of approximately 1,600 kms, which is about 29 per cent of the total coastline of the country. The state has one-Major Port, namely, Kandla, which is under the purview of Union government. The remaining 40 ports are non-major ports or minor ports, which are controlled and administered by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB).

Gujarat is the first state to privatise the port sector. The rate at which this sector is developing in the state is exemplary. The objective of the policy is to achieve highest standards in the port infrastructure and services and consequently attain higher traffic at the ports and enhance industrialisation process in the state. The policy is comprehensive as it appreciates and accounts for the ideal maritime location of Gujarat and the state. The policy holds pivotal position in the state’s industrial development as it envisages 50 per cent of the industrial investment attributable to the development of port sector.

GMB, is the first Maritime Board of its kind in India set up in 1982, which acts as the regulatory authority for all the 40 non-major ports of the state and it facilitates the rapid growth in port infrastructure and cargo handling operations.

The non-major ports of Gujarat handle large volume of sea-borne traffic. GMB is the only maritime body with an enviable feat, nationally and internationally, both in cargo handling and shipbreaking activities. The shipbreaking yard at Alang is among the biggest in the world today.

In another ambitious move, GMB has lined up proactive plans for increasing the state’s share in the total cargo handled in the country to 39 per cent by 2015, from the current 26 per cent, translating into a throughput of a whopping 400 million tonnes.

The state’s 41 ports currently service 35 per cent of the country’s hinterland area, which too is expected to increase in the coming decade. GMB is planning on developing quite a few new ports, for which it intends roping in private participation.

‘Gujarat Junction 2006’

Further boosting investments and joint ventures in Gujarat—one of the most industrialised states in the country—is ‘Gujarat Junction 2006, which has all the makings of being the logistics event of the year.

To be held on Saturday, September 23, this Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCC&I)-organised event has generated unprecedented interest in the trade all over India, with representatives from almost all leading multimodal logistics and maritime industry players scheduling to be in Gandhidham for the event well in advance.

In keeping with the theme ‘Gujarat—India’s Premier Maritime State, Challenges and Opportunities’, the event aims at providing a common platform to the maritime, multimodal, logistics and related service providers in the region and the state to interact, express their views, exchange ideas and seek solutions.


Mr A.K. Mohapatra Mr M. P. Pinto
It comprises three main sessions — ‘Gujarat: Gateway to India’s Foreign Trade’; ‘Development of New Gateways/Terminals—The Gujarat Experience’; and ‘Hinterland Connectivity—Impact on Maritime Trade & Logistics in Gujarat’.

To be held in Gandhidham, the maritime nerve centre of the state, the symposium will give shipping lines, agents, port authorities and users, Custom house agents (CHAs), freight forwarders, etc. the opportunity to interact with each other as well as with various multimodal service providers so as to make new business contacts, discuss trends in trade and analyse the available facilities and services.

The Chairman of the symposium is the distinguished Mr M. P. Pinto, who has held many prominent positions in the industry, including Secretary, Union Ministry of Shipping, and Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. He is being assisted by a Core Committee of experts comprising Mr A. Janardhana Rao, Chairman of Kandla Port Trust, Capt. Sandeep Mehta, CEO, Mundra Port & SEZ Ltd, Mr K. K. Krishnadas, CEO, Mundra International Container Terminal, Mr Rajeeva Sinha, Managing Director, Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd, and other leading lights of the industry.

Mr A.K. Mohapatra, IAS, Secretary, Union Ministry of Shipping, will grace the event as the chief guest. Mr H. K. Dash, Vice-Chairman & CEO, GMB, will also honour the symposium. The event will also witness the presence of important dignitaries from renowned organisations like the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), Indian Railways, Kutch Railways, Customs and so on.

"It’s an event not to be missed, given its well thought out format and the quality of the speakers. I am sure it will provide fresh insights into the current multimodal logistics scenario in the country, especially with reference to Gujarat, and the way ahead for the sector", said the head of a prominent logistics firm.

A non-major port representative, on the other hand, expressed happiness that such an event was being held, for the first time, in Gandhidham in Gujarat’s Kutch district, which, he stressed, is emerging as one of the country’s leading maritime and ex-im centres.

So September 23 will witness a heavy rush to Gandhidham, with almost all modes of transport leading to this port town and ‘Gujarat Junction 2006’ will accelerate the position of Gujarat as the country’s premier maritime state
 
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