Gujarat offers gateway to other states

In order to fuel the country's economic growth, Gujarat has decided to offer exclusive port facility to land-locked states to provide them a gateway for exports.

"Gujarat has a coastline of 1,600 km and we have framed a policy to offer a part of it to the land-locked states, where they can construct a port for exporting their goods exclusively," said the Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi on Tuesday at Ahilyabai national award function.

"We believe in the philosophy of development of Gujarat for the development of the nation and the present growth rate of 15 per cent of Gujarat as compared to the nation's eight per cent is part of that larger goal," he said.

Despite the state being a rain-deficient state, the better management of water sources has increased the annual agricultural production of Gujarat from Rs 9,000 crore to Rs 28,000 crore in just three years, he said, adding "We have a potential to change the entire scenario."

However, referring to the recent rain havoc in Surat, he said earlier, tankers used to be sent to the city to provide water to the people, "but heavy rains this year have forced us to send boats to the city".

Referring to the cotton exports to China, he said that out of 40 lakh bales exported to that country, 15 lakh alone were from Gujarat and added that the state was working on the theme of Development of Gujarat for the development of the nation.