Mukesh Ambani's Visit a Glimpse of Hope for Bihar
Patna: Oct. 19, 2007
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Mukesh Ambani in Patna
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Photo by Shashi Uttam |
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Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani, during his first ever trip to Bihar on Friday, expressed his desire to have long-term business relationship with the state echoing former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's sentiments that India could not become a developed nation without Bihar's equal participation.
"Bihar's development is critical to the overall progress of India, the nation's richest entrepreneur and the world's 5th richest man, said in Patna during his 5-hour long visit adding Bihar would see more and more presence of Reliance in the state in the next 10-15 years.
Ambani's statement is being seen by Bihar leaders as a positive sign for the investment-starved state that is yet to land any major catch despite promises by business conglomerates like the Mahindras and high-profile conferences like NRI Global Meet and Sanford University-sponsored Mirror Conference.
"I have come here to get a better understanding of the state and the business opportunities and challenges it offers," Ambani said.
Earlier, Ambani's private aircraft landed at Patna Airport around noon.
Accompanied by his four top executives S. Srinivas, S. Swarup, Awadhesh Singh, and Sandeep Sabarwal, the son of business tycoon late Dhirubhai Ambani, was escorted to the Information Building where he met with state top officials including state Planning Board deputy chairperson N. K. Singh, Chief Secretary A. K. Chaudhary, Development Commissioner R. J. M. Pillai, Industrial Development Commissioner S. Vijay Raghavan, Agriculture Production Commissioner N. S. Madhavan, Energy Secretary Rajesh Gupta, Road Construction Secretary R. K. Singh, and BIADA Managing Director K. K. Pathak.
The state government made a 30-minute presentation to convince Ambani that Bihar was ready for some major investment and the government was willing to extend its full support in this regard.
The multi-billionaire business mogul then held a 3-hour long meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence at 1 Anne Marg and discussed possibilities of investment in the state.
Ambani's team then left for Mumbai at around 5:00 pm.
Interestingly, while the Congress welcomed the arrival of Mukesh Ambani in Bihar with some skepticism, the politically-weakened Samata Party in Bihar called it a slap on the faces of socialists leaders of the past like Jai Prakash Narain, Lohia, and Gandhi for "extending red-carpet welcome to self-serving capitalists like the Ambanis".
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