Modi's Japan visit, Manesar incident not linked:Guj govt

Maruti Suzuki may shift Haryana plant here is figment of imagination, says Patel

In the wake of media reports linking Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's upcoming Japan visit to woe Suzuki Motors to expand its proposed manufacturing plant in Gujarat, the state government on Friday clarified that there was no truth in the claim of shifting parts of Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar unit to Gujarat.

Gujarat's spokesperson and minister of state for Industries Saurabh Patel said, "The news spread by the media that Maruti Suzuki may shift parts of its Haryana plant to Gujarat, following event at Manesar, is far from truth and figment of imagination." He added, "There is no truth in the news about shifting any disputed industrial unit in other state to Gujarat, either."

 

He recalled that Maruti Suzuki had decided to set up a plant in Gujarat long back and it has no connection with the company’s Manesar plant.

The minister further added that any decision to set up an industrial unit in the state is decided by the Gujarat Government as per its rules and regulations, in pursuance of its progressive policies and initiatives, in competition with other states.He added that the Gujarat Government believes that every state of India has a right to progress and that every state should indeed progress.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is leaving for Japan on Sunday. Modi will be accompanied by a delegation of industrialists from Gujarat on his four-day tour of Japan.

Media reports have claimed that the chief minister is likely to pitch for an expansion of Maruti's proposed manufacturing plant here in Gujarat when he meets the company's top brass in Japan. Maruti has signed a state support agreement (SSA) with the state government for purchase of land near Mehsana on June The company said that it would invest Rs 4,000 crore in the fiRs t phase to set up a 250,000 units per annum plant by 2015-16. Maruti produces 1.2 million units across Gurgaon and Manesar. It is currently facing its fourth labour unrest since June last year.

The state government has said in a statement issued here on Friday that as per the itinerary, Modi is scheduled to attend as many as 44 functions during visit to Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe provinces, will address seminars and participate in high level round table conferences.

The government release also said, "He will travel from Tokyo to Hamamatsu and then from Hamamatsu to Nagoya by Japan’s Bullet Trains to have the firsthand feel of the ride. He will discuss details of ambitious Bullet Train on Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Pune section and Ahmedabad-Dholera Metro Bullet Train, besides two Japanese Industrial Parks to be set up by Japan in Gujarat as part of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)."

The chief minister is also scheduled to visit the modern seaport at Kobe to develop ports on the same lines in Gujarat.