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In the run-up to Gujarat government’s flagship investment event, Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2015, the state’s western fringes, or in short, Kutch is in focus this season. Apart from the annual tourism fest of Rann Utsav, two ‘Vibrant Kutch’ summits are planned by different industry associations.
In line with the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, these expo cum summits would offer networking opportunities to investors and industry people. The Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is organising the first one, to be held between December 19 to 21 at Gandhidham, while the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kutch (CCIK) is organising one right after the Vibrant Gujarat summit in January, around February 27 to March 1 at Bhuj.
When asked about the rationality behind having two similar events at Kutch, around the same time as the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Jagat Shah, chief executive officer of Ahmedabad based international trade consulting firm Global Network, which is working with CCIK and Octagon Communications to organise the February event, said, “Kucth is very much in focus. And while the Vibrant Gujarat Summit happens on a much larger scale, where not only national but international participants come, the ‘Vibrant Kucth 2015’, will mainly try to bring back the Kutchis (original residents of Kutch) to invest in the region.”
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According to Shah, around 500 Kutchis from 20 countries across the globe are expected to attend Vibrant Kutch 2015 in February. As for the Vibrant Kutch 2014, which is scheduled this weekend, a senior official of the GCCI claimed that nearly 15,000 to 20,000 visitors were expected. The focus sectors for the event are corporate and government sectors; marine, warehousing and material handling sectors; wood and wood working machinery; real estate developers; electricals, solar power and wind energy; IT, white goods, etc.
Post the devastating earthquake of January 2001, the region has managed to get back on its feet, and be home to leading corporates like Sanghi Industries, AMW, Ajanta, Welspun among others. Thanks to the Rann Utsav which takes place during the winter months of December to March, nearly 100,000 tourists flock to the white desert in western Gujarat.
