Gujarat likely to have 4 mn jobs by 2013

Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, ports to drive growth.

As Gujarat emerges one of the hottest investment destinations in the country, there is a likelihood that over 4 million people may get employment over the next five years.

Gujarat's third-time chief minister Narendra Modi, better-known as the CEO of the state, in a free-wheeling interview with Business Standard, hinted that around 4 million people may get direct or indirect employment over the next five years if investments continued to pour at the same pace.

"The number is going to be really huge. In fact, the biggest challenge in the coming days will be providing quality manpower to cope with the investment inflow. We have taken the issue very seriously and have prepared a blue print," he said.

A recent Reserve Bank of India report says that Gujarat under Modi was the favourite destination for imports in the country in 2007 "� it ranked first on the list with proposed investments of Rs 73,170 crore in 86 projects, accounting for 25.8 per cent. The Vibrant Gujarat Investment Summit held in 2007 saw an investment commitment of Rs 4.51 lakh crore.

At a time when the world is looking at India as a market, Modi envisages a scenario where Gujarat would turn the whole world into a market for whatever it manufactures.

"We want to take Brand Gujarat to an international stage. We will market Brand Gujarat very aggressively," he said.

Talking on a range of issues right from the Centre's negative attitude towards Gujarat to what would be the sectors, which would propel the state to the next level in the coming five years, Modi said, "Gujarat's socio-economic growth in the next decade will mainly revolve around SEZs and the ambitious Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project."

The CM said in all likelihood work on DMIC project might first start in Gujarat. "We are pushing for that. If that happens, work on DMIC will start at three locations in Gujarat, which is likely to attract nearly 40 per cent of the total investment of the project," he said.