1st May 2024 Source by https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/
In his campaign speech, Amit Shah focuses on the huge investments pouring into Sanand and Dholera.Marketing Gujarat as a state that has witnessed “equitable development and investments” Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while canvassing for BJP’s Ahmedabad East candidate, said Gujarat is headed on the path of becoming a hub for semiconductors, electric vehicles, battery production, and green hydrogen.
He also claimed that Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), located about 110 kilometres from Ahmedabad, will become an “employment destination” for job-seekers from Ahmedabad. “The policies made under the leadership of Narendra Modi and being continued under CM Bhupendra Patel have translated into equitable development and resulted in attracting investment to each and every district,” said Shah, who himself represents the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, which accounts for a large portion of the fast-developing areas of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. This includes the automobile manufacturing hubs at Sanand, Gandhinagar North, Kalol, Vejalpur, Sabarmati, Naranpura, and Ghatlodia.
In the last four calendar years between 2020 and 2023, 95 per cent of the foreign direct investment (FDI) flowing to Gujarat has been confined to Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts alone. While Gujarat saw $36,860 million of FDI inflows during this four-year period, Ahmedabad district alone accounted for $32,592 million (88 per cent of the total FDI inflows), while Gandhinagar district saw an additional $2,290 million in investments, which is about six per cent of total FDI inflows.
During his speech, Shah also mentioned that Gujarat was heading towards becoming a hub for semiconductors, electric vehicles, battery production, and green hydrogen. “These four sectors will play a decisive role in the global economy. These foundations for these four pillars have been laid in Gujarat,” Shah said without mentioning that the first couple of large semiconductor projects have gone to Sanand and Dholera SIR, which fall in Ahmedabad district. Similarly, battery production and electric vehicle production are largely restricted to Sanand and Hansalpur, which are parts of Ahmedabad district.
Shah said the BJP government was building a ₹33,000 crore Expressway connecting Ahmedabad and Dholera SIR and has also started work on building the Dholera International Airport. He said new railway lines were also being provided to Sanand and Dholera SIR. “The Dholera SIR will become the employment destination for youngsters in Ahmedabad. Only Dholera SIR will create 10 lakh job opportunities,” said Shah.
