Gujarat = Growth: Modi's mantra for Diaspora

"Those who are happy with Gujarat's progress praise us a lot and those who are jealous of our progress and economic development tell people that we are ahead of Gujarat," Chief Minister Narendra Modi told a gathering of overseas Indians while hard-selling his state on Saturday at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010.

"In a way, Gujarat has become a yardstick for progress, economic development and transparency in making economic and industrial policies," said the Gujarat CM in his bid to attract huge NRI investments to his state.

He reminded the gathering that Gujarat attracted investment proposals worth $240 billion during the last Vibrant Gujarat event when the world recession was at its peak indicating Gujarat's preference to other states when it comes to the faith of investors in Gujarat's vibrant economic growth.

"We were not affected by recession at all. We stood with confidence with our investors in those bad times," he said.

In yet another parameter that speaks about the state's economic environment Modi declared that despite large-scale industrial development the state has not witnessed any labour discord.

"Our workers are so happy that our industries have seen zero man day loss, no labour strikes," Modi said, giving an indication of Gujarat's healthy economic environment and higher than normal labour productivity.

Talking about the agricultural revolution that his administration has ushered in the state -- Gujarat, a food grains deficit state has become a food grains surplus state -- he informed the NRIs present that the bhindis (lady finger) that they ate in the US, the tomatoes in Afghanistan and milk in their teas in Singapore was exported from his state.

Harping on the theme of inclusive growth Modi said that his state was not promoting investments only in industrial and manufacturing sectors.

"We want balanced development. We want 30 per cent investments in industries, 30 per cent in agriculture and 30 per cent in the services sector so that all the socio-economic sections of Gujarat could take advantage of the state's growth story," Modi said.

Expressing his vision for the 21st century Modi asserted that in the fourth wave of development -- as per Gujarat's health minister Jay Narayan Vyas the first wave began with industrial development, the second with infrastructure development which is still in progress and the third with implementation of Narmada irrigation scheme -- Gujarat will focus on the sunrise sectors like tourism and medical tourism, eco-friendly township development and clean energy.