The 7th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit on Monday did not limit itself to investment figures and lists of agreements. Larger issues of inclusive growth, poverty eradication and good governance ran through the events and the valedictory function.
Corporate leaders, including heavyweights such as Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, also stayed true to the tone of inclusive growth. "We share the Gujarat government's vision of inclusive development," said Mistry. "It is for this reason that the Tata group continues to invest in the state in the areas of water management, skill development, livelihood generation and natural resources conservation."
As expected, almost everyone present expressed faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
"2014-15 has clearly been the year when the world started to believe in India again," said Rana Kapoor, managing director of YES Bank.
Saying the event was not only about investments but about bringing inclusiveness in our social processes, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was confident that we'd get to see the "reflection of Vibrant Gujarat in Vibrant India". The "Gujarat model of good governance", he said, had lessons for all.
"The first pre-requisite for development is law and order, and that is inbuilt in the development model of Gujarat, together with smart planning and quick execution," he said.
Foreign delegates raised voices for taking the summit to a wider platform. Patrick Brown, a Canadian Member of Parliament, said: "Canada has a rich history with Gujarat and we would love to see a Vibrant Gujarat in Ontario. The Vibrant Gujarat Summit has become an incubator of ideas."
A possible reason for all this adulation for the 'Gujarat model' was that Chief Minister Anandiben Patel went beyond announcing the huge investment figures attracted to reiterating the government's commitment to be business-friendly. She said, for one, that there'd be a host of committees to closely monitor the progress in each project, big or small.
