Singhania, Mistry, Jindal to attend 'Advantage Vidarbha'

Top industry leaders including Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry are slated to participate in the two-day 'Advantage Vidarbha' conference, to be held here on February 25 and 26, so as to attract investments into the region.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan will inaugurate the event while Union Minister for Heavy Industries Praful Patel would preside over the function, Maharashtra Social Justice and District Guardian Minister Shivajirao Moghe said.

He said that MoUs worth Rs 15,000 crore are expected to be signed during the two-day event but the real challenge would be converting the MoUs into actual investments.

Moghe said the chief minister was personally interacting with top industrialists and seeking their cooperation.

Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry, Raymond Group’s Gautam Hari Singhania, Jindal Group Vice-Chairman and MD Sajjan Jindal, Indo Rama CMD O P Lohia will be present at the inaugural session, he said, adding that Adani Group's Gautam Adani and industrialist Adi Godrej are also likely to attend.

The conference would focus on sectors like textiles, agriculture and food processing, IT and biotechnology, automobiles and engineering, mining and mineral processing, tourism and aviation.

"There are many advantages for Vidarbha. Going back to history, we can boast that the Tata empire started in Nagpur with their first textile mills – Empress Mils. There are many national brands that have come up from this region. Our logistic advantage, of being located at the centre of the country, availability of land, electricity, quality manpower can all be used to advantage," said Moghe.