Chandigarh, Aug 16- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal on Tuesday inaugurated the construction of the first IKEA 'Mixed Use Commercial Project' in North India in Gurugram. This IKEA project is to be built with an investment of about Rs. 3,500 crore which will be constructed in Sector-47 of Gurugram. The Ambassador of Sweden to India Mr. Klas Molin was also present on the occasion.

While addressing the gathering present on the occasion, Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal, described Haryana as the land of Karma, possibilities and prosperity. He welcomed the Ingka Centres and IKEA project here in Haryana. He said that this project will be a world class retail and leisure destination to meet the needs of the customers of North India and the region. This will increase investment as well as employment and business opportunities. He said that Haryana Government has taken several effective steps to make Ease of Doing Business possible in the State and this project is another testament to our development plans for this sector.

He said that new technology and digital interfaces in the world today are creating a world that opens up both new opportunities and challenges. New processes and new products are opening new avenues of economic development. People and human values are always at the center of development, so we also need to work with a vision of interconnectedness. The Chief Minister said that the effect of such mutual participation will be visible in the world. The country or state which will take advantage of these circumstances will move ahead on the path of progress. He said that fundamental changes are taking place in industrial production, design and manufacturing. Digital platforms, automation and data flows have reduced the relevance of geographical distances in the world.

The Chief Minister said that innovation and traditional production will be a major source of employment for our youth in the changing industrial environment. That is the reason why the policies of skill development and education required periodic changes. For this, the curriculum of the school and the university should be designed in such a way that it will be effective in making the future of the youth. He added that it is remarkable to know that 27% of what IKEA sells in India is locally sourced, and are working expeditiously to achieve 50% of this in the coming years. He expressed confidence that such an initiative will provide more employment opportunities to the local youth on one hand and on the other hand it will give a boost to our national economy. In this industrial revolution, talent will be more important than capital. That's why we need to focus equally on human capital and economic development. Utilizing the new opportunities will make the job seekers job creators.

Referring to the investor-friendly policies of the state government, the Chief Minister said that our government believes in 'ACT' i.e. Accountability, Communication and Transparency in the system. He said that in order to achieve these objectives, a transparent system has been developed by establishing effective and continuous dialogue, brainstorming for quick decision making and digital system. Sh. Manohar Lal said that our vision is to ensure that benefits of our policies reaches to the last person standing in the queue.

Earlier, Susan Pulverer, CEO, Ikea India said, “We have a long-term commitment to benefit the people, the environment and the local economy through our business in Delhi NCR. With Ingka Centres, we will be instrumental in contributing to the growth of the home furnishing market and provide people with an unmatched retail experience. We will provide affordable, elegant, best designed sustainable home furnishing products and services, he added.

It was told in the programme that Ingka Centres will invest 400 million pounds i.e. Rs. 3,500 crores in this project. There will be great retail, workspace and space for community events. The project is expected to create around 2,500 jobs.

On this occasion, Sweden's Ambassador to India, Klas Molin, Ikea India CEO, Susanne Pulverer, Jan Kristensson and her team members from INGKA Centres, Advisor to Chief Minister for Foreign Cooperation, Sh. Pawan Choudhary and officers from HSIIDC and district administration were present on the occasion.