Surat: On behalf of the Chamber, former Chief Secretary of Gujarat P.K. Held an interactive meeting with Laheri. Loktej Surat, Business News

On Monday, under the SGCCI Global Connect Mission 84, South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on 28 August 2023 at 5 pm, former Chief Secretary Praveen K. An interactive meeting was organized with Laheri (IAS). In which he gave various suggestions to increase exports from Gujarat region under SGCCI Global Connect Mission 84. The then Chief Secretary of Gujarat, Praveen Laheri, was instrumental in getting the Chamber of Commerce to get site approval from the government for the construction of the Surat International Exhibition and Convention Center at a spacious site in Sarsana. That’s why the chamber’s office bearer, former president and industrialist gave him a standing ovation in this meeting.

Chamber of Commerce President Ramesh Vaghasia said that South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry is going to provide an international platform to increase exports from Gujarat region under SGCCI Global Connect Mission 84 project. Under this project, 84000 entrepreneurs of Gujarat and 84000 entrepreneurs of India doing business in different countries of the world will be connected and a bilateral trade agreement of Rs 84000 crore will be done. Under which India’s economy will be strengthened by increasing exports from the whole country apart from the Gujarat region. Under this project, 84000 people will get employment and efforts will be made to increase the income of the farmers.

Former Chief Secretary of Gujarat Praveen K. Laheri said that Mission 84 launched by the Chamber of Commerce is a possible but not a difficult task. To make this mission successful, a special strategy has to be chalked out and implemented accordingly. The difficulty of transportation of raw material arises for the industrial units. Mumbai has unnecessary waiting periods, so a specific strategy should be made for logistics service and work accordingly. For this, an export zone will have to be created in Surat and logistic facilities will have to be created to increase exports.

Good industrial estates should be built outside the city by taking advantage of various schemes of GIDC in Surat for industries other than textiles and diamonds. Investment will automatically come if industrial estate is created. Successful entrepreneurs in the textile and diamond sectors should boldly and intelligently venture into other sectors as well. Textile industrialists of Surat should make readymade garments and export them. Industrialists need to set up export-oriented units.

He further said that there is entrepreneurship among the youth of Surat, which should be taken care of and an environment of start-ups and unicorns should be created in Surat. Entrepreneurs will have to be guided to take advantage of various schemes like Vishwakarma. Efforts should be made to strengthen small scale industries. Efforts should be made to increase and develop micro, small and medium enterprises. Apart from this, efforts should be made to develop new products by adopting recycling techniques. He further said that new technology has to be used for quality production.

Vice President of Chamber of Commerce Vijay Mewawala thanked all those present in the meeting. The then former president of the chamber Himanshu Bodawala and former presidents Kamlesh Yagnik, Bharat Gandhi and Ashok Shah along with group presidents Mrinal Shukal and Bhadresh Shah and other industrialists were present.