SHOWCASING OPPORTUNITIES: Chief Ministers of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Goa, Sheila Dikshit, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Pratapsinh Rane and Finance Minister of West Bengal Asim Dasgupta at the 39th Annual General Body Meeting of the Asian Development Bank in Hyderabad on Thursday. — Photo: Satish. H

HYDERABAD: The intense competition among different States to attract investments in infrastructure came to the fore yet again when Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Delhi and the Finance Minister of West Bengal made a fervent appeal to investors to invest in their States.

A session on "emerging opportunities in India", organised as part of the 39th annual general meeting of the Asian Development Bank here, turned out to be an effective platform for the Chief Ministers of these States to showcase opportunities. Highlighting their recent achievements, they sought to explain various investor-friendly measures launched by the Governments in sustaining the public-private partnership (PPP) ventures in infrastructure.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said the State already had a huge infrastructure and the Government was trying to bring modernity to these "production places" for which it was favouring PPP model. The State had all the requisites and experience in place to welcome partnerships in infrastructure development that was the key to improving the growth rate.

West Bengal Finance Minister Asim K. Dasgupta said the State Government was implementing policy reforms with social sustainability and was in favour of entering private partnerships in the tertiary sector. A massive infrastructure plan covering different sectors involving an estimated Rs. 52,800 crore had been prepared. It would be proposed to the World Bank for funding "under mutually acceptable conditionalities."

Goa Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane said his State was among the top performers in the country in terms of human development indices such as health and education and it was moving towards the next phase of development.

The Government was planning to develop "knowledge workers" to cater for the emerging needs and looking for investments in the necessary infrastructure.

Water distribution

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit explained about the reforms in power and other sectors introduced in the State for a hassle-free development. The Government was now concentrating on reforming the water distribution system in the State, as it was the next challenge that needed "very, very urgent attention."

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