Gujarat growing at 8.43%: Modi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday claimed that his state had "overtaken other Asian tiger economies in all round progress" with a development rate of 8.43 per cent in the last decade.

"Gujarat has 'evolved' in every field, especially in investments, and we envisage growth at 13-14 per cent in the near future," Modi said at Dhuvaran, about 70 km from Vadodara.

"The state has become investor-friendly, especially in tourism, agro-processing, tourism and mining, apart from industry," Modi said after laying the foundation stone for two units of Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd.

Stating that heavy investments are planned for the state, Modi highlighted over Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) is to be earmarked for development of its 1,600-km coastline to maximise port-led industrial development.

Also, two large LNG terminals are to come up at Bharuch and Hazira involving huge investments, he said and reiterated the proposed laying of a mother-grid "would radically change the viability of a host of industries, including ceramics, power, fertilisers and plastic processing."

"Besides, we want to utilise this gas for power generation which will render power generation cheaper and cleaner," Modi stated and reiterated his earlier pronouncements of "Gujarat becoming the petro-capital of the country."

"With the near-completion of the Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion) Sardar Sarovar Dam project, Gujarat has geared up to double its agricultural production over next 4-5 years," Modi said.

"It will enabled promotion of high-tech agriculture and contract farming," he said.

"The state also proposes to use 'cool-energy' generated by re-gassification of the LNG terminal at Dahej and Hazira for developing giant-sized cold storages," he said.

"In bio-technology too, the state will embark on a 'bio-tech mission' to utilise its rich base of pharmaceutical companies," the chief minister added.

On another note, Modi talked of expansion of the state's tourism potential saying plans are afoot to launch a cruise service between Mandvi in Kutch and Mumbai.

"The new service is expected to increase facilities from Mumbai to Gujarat's pilgrimage centres including Somnath, Dwarka and Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace Porbandar," he said.

"The Gir Lion Sanctuary, the two erstwhile European colonies of Daman and Diu and the Rann of Kutch will also be put on the tourist map," he said, adding that promotion of handicrafts and folk-dances will also be taken up.