India, U.S. Scaling Up Their Ties: Ambassador

BHOPAL: U.S. Ambassador Richard R. Verma on Wednesday said India and America have strengthened their bilateral ties and the two countries now want to join hands to scale up the partnership in every sector.

Verma was here on a day-long visit, during which he met Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. According to a statement from the chief minister's office, the two held detailed discussion about investment opportunities, women empowerment and religious freedom in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh.

The U.S. ambassador hailed the social and economic development of the state and said that Madhya Pradesh has a huge potential for clean and green energy.

The chief minister informed the envoy about the world's largest 750MW solar power plant to be built at Rewa for which the state government has already invited global tenders. The plant is expected to be commissioned in the next two years.

Verma was also told about Asia's largest 135MW solar power plant established in Neemuch district.

Chauhan told Verma that the state has initiated unprecedented efforts for water conservation.

The government would soon launch a public campaign to revive rivers, Chauhan said. He said the government has decided to launch a drive for tree plantation in one-km radius of the banks of Narmada. The drive would be launched in partnerpship with people and farmers have been asked to plant fruit trees.

The chief minister said the state was organising a three-day global investor's meet from October 21 this year in Indore and American investors were invited for the event.

The ambassador wanted to know about the ease of doing business in Madhya Pradesh. The chief minister informed him that his government has launched a single-window system for processes like land acquisition and other administrative formalities required for setting up business houses in the state.

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