Saturday, July 29, 2006

Bihar for NRI meet to woo investments

Patna, July 29 (IANS) Bihar is planning to invite non-resident Indians (NRIs) for a meeting here aimed at attracting investments in the state.
Sources in Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi's office said a proposal to hold the meet in December or early next year was under consideration.
"It is aimed at facilitating development and changing the face of the state," Health Minister Chandra Mohan Rai said Saturday.
Rai, who returned from Britain Friday, said he had invited NRI doctors, especially those from Bihar, for the proposed meet.
Last month, Modi, who made a trip to Britain, Italy and Canada to market Bihar as a favourable investment destination, proposed to form an NRI cell to invite and facilitate investments.
The cell will provide right information to NRIs and help speed up passage of investment proposals through a 'single-window clearance system'.
The government also plans to set up a corpus fund with contributions from NRIs for development. "The idea of a corpus fund was mooted by NRIs, who asked me to create it at the earliest so that they could contribute to it," said Modi.
Two months ago, Bihar Chief Secretary G.S. Kang said Indians in the US were keen to invest in the state's hospitality, IT and health sectors.
Kang, who headed a team of officials to the US, said: "We have received over half a dozen proposals and will study them."
Bihar is keen to attract foreign investment in agriculture, health, IT, tourism and infrastructure sectors.
The government has long been trying to promote the state - often seen as one of the most lawless states in India and having the highest percentage of population living below the poverty line - as a favourable investment destination.

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