Crores to be invested in Rajasthan

While there are apprehensions about hefty investment promises by the private sector during Resurgent Rajasthan, chief minister Vasundhara Raje can be assured of the Central government’s commitment to help her in boosting the state’s economy and employment.

With the exception of finance minister Arun Jaitley, who didn’t announce any sop for the state, all other Union ministers didn’t disappoint the CM as they declared projects worth thousands of crores.

Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Central government will set up a National Institute of Design in Rajasthan. She said that first up, a satellite centre of Ahmadabad will be opened, and within a year, a fully fledged NID with both under-graduate and post-graduate degrees will be set up.

On the inaugural day several union minister who were present at the event announced projects and partnerships with the state. Leading them was chemicals and fertiliser minister Ananth Kumar, who announced setting up of a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Educat-ion and Research in Rajasthan with an investment of `500 crores in Jhalawar over the next two years. The international-level institute is likely to come up in the next two years, he said.

Mr Kumar also said that a sum of Rs 100 crore would be invested in upgrading the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology in Jaipur. The institute will train 5000 students annually, and undertake B. Tech and M. Tech courses in the field.

The government will facilitate Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd to set up a brown-field fertiliser unit at Gadepan in Rajasthan to produce 12.7 lakh metric tonne of urea with the investment of Rs 5,500 crore, he added. He announced the government will invest Rs 100 crore for a Rs 2.4 lakh MT single super phosphate plant in Chittorgarh.

The minister announced that Rs 300 crore will be invested by FAG mill in the mining sector in the state. He also promised to set up the country’s first medical devices park and plastic park in Bhiwadi, if the Rajasthan government could provide 100 acres of land.

The railways ministry is looking at forming a joint venture with the Rajasthan government for developing rail infrastructure in the state, Union minister Suresh Prabhu said. Under this, a company jointly owned by the Centre and state will be formed, he said, adding, it will develop infrastructure and look into issues that the states deem to be important. Besides, he said, 24 stations of the state will be developed as model railway stations.

Union urban development minister M. Venkaih Naidu said the Centre will help the Rajasthan government under the principle of cooperative competitive federalism to ensure growth. Out of the 100 destinations shortlisted under the smart cities programme, four of them belong to Rajasthan, he said.