Chandigarh June 1- “One thing that has surely not changed in the newfangled post corona world, it is the strength of Japan-Haryana heart to heart connect”. This was the consensus conclusion in the video conference chaired jointly by Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal and Mr Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India here today organized by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) in which 35 top Japanese investors and CEOs of Japanese companies participated.
While describing Haryana as a favourite destination for foreign investors, a large number of leading Japanese companies including Honda, Maruti Suzuki, Canon, Daiken, NEC Technologies, Mitsui, Unicharm, Munjal Kiriu who already have their bases in Haryana evinced keen interest in making further investments in Haryana through expanding their industrial units. Mr Manohar Lal recalled that though most of them had met recently on February 15 over Japan Haryana Golf meet yet it seems it was in a different era. He also shared various new initiatives taken by the State Government to woo foreign investors including allotment of land to manufacturing units on lease basis and upcoming Enterprises Promotion Policy -2020 which would be the best policy in the country.
The Chief Minister said that the adverse human, social, fiscal and economic impacts of the Lock Down measures unfolded every day. Like all governments across the world we tried our best to mitigate these. While sharing something that has been uniquely local in Haryana, he said that while we remained focused on ensuring no one slept hungry and on reducing the spread of the virus, we never saw this crisis as only a crisis but as a great opportunity to reform.
He said that from March to May, the State Government has set up 3 brand new Departments namely Department of MSMEs; Department of Housing for All and Department of Citizen Resources Information. Also, addressing the concern of high land prices, we have added a new investor friendly element of land allotment for manufacturing units on lease basis. He said that Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi has announced an economic stimulus equal to 10 per cent of our GDP. He said that we are not looking at incremental reforms but a quantum leap. He said that Haryana will not be found wanting on any of four aspects of this package; Land, Labour, Liquidity and Laws.
The Chief Minister said that some investors were talking about VIP Countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippine). My team at State is now focusing not just on the investor satisfaction, but on customer delight. He said that we in Haryana are not just limited to B to B (Business to Business) or G to B (Government to Business) or G to G (Government to Government) relationship. Haryana is the land of Gita and we believe in H to H relationship that is Heart to Heart connect, the Chief Minister asserted.
He said that Haryana is witnessing large expression of investment interests coming from Japanese companies, therefore, it becomes all the more important for us to maintain a continuous and effective dialogue. He said that the State Government has recently established separate departments for Foreign Cooperation, MSME sector for their help and continued support. He advised the Japanese community to think about establishing the supply chain and MSME with research and innovation in Haryana. He also sought their continued preference and investments for the State while assuring all support of his team.
The CEO of the leading Japanese Companies thanked the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal for taking this proactive step of interacting with them through video conference and said that this step would go a long way in further strengthening the industrial and economic relationship between Japan and India and particularly with Haryana.
Among those present in the meeting included Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Chairman HSIIDC Mr Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Department Mr T.C Gupta, Principal Secretary, Industries Mr A.K Singh, Managing Director, HSIIDC Mr Anurag Agarwal and Principal Secretary, Labour Mr Vineet Garg.
Those who attended the video conference included Mr Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India, Embassy of Japan, Mr Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Chairman and Managing Director, CO for South West Asia, Chief Regional Officer-JCCII Chennai and President, ITOCHU India Private Limited, Mr Gaku Nakanishi, President and CEO, Honda Cars India Limited, Mr Yasuyuki Murahashi, Executive and Vice Chairman of Business Promotion Committee, JCCII; Chief Director General, Japan External Trade Organization, New Delhi, Mr Masaki Morohoshi, Chairman and Managing Director, Sumitomo Corporation India Private Limited, Mr Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Mr Toshiharu Tsurumaru, Deputy Managing Director, Daikin Air Conditioning India Private Limited, Mr. Takayuki Inaba, Executive Chairman, NEC Technologies India Private Limited, Mr Kenji Sugino, Secretary General, JCCII, Mr Masakazu Shimada, Managing Director, Mitsui Kinzoku Components India, Mr Tamotsu Nomura, Director Ichibanya India Private Limited, Mr Vijay Chaudhary, Managing Director, Unicharm India Private Limited, Mr Akira Yamane, Director, Finance/Account, Unicharm India Private Limited and Mr Shohei Yoshida, Director Munjal Kiriu Private Limited.