Patna: A `global meet for a resurgent Bihar', showcasing the State as `a happening and investor-friendly destination', would be inaugurated by the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, here on Friday.

The meet is scheduled to be attended by over 500 delegates from across the world, including eminent economist Lord Meghnad Desai, a Labour peer in the House of Lords of the UK, Y.V. Deveshwar, Chairman ITC and IIM, Kolkata, and C. Rangarajan, Chairman, Prime Minister's economic advisory council and former RBI Governor.

Though wooing potential investors appears to be the objective behind the meet, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi insisted it is not an investors' conference.

"Please don't expect MoUs to be signed at the meet which is not an investors' conference. The purpose of the global meet is to make aware the people, including the NRIs from Bihar and others, of the rapid and positive changes that have taken place in Bihar over the past one year," Mr. Modi, Chairman of the steering committee of the meet, told reporters.

The Bihar government is acting as a facilitator in holding the meet being organised by Institute of Human Development, Asian Development Research Institute, Bihar Times, Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Bihar Industries Association.

This would be the third visit of the President to the state since the NDA came to power in November 2005.

The President's visit would be for a brief one hour. He is expected to arrive in the evening, inaugurate the meet and leave later. -- PTI

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