Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
Rajasthan eyes investment at U.S. meet
Monday, 07 July 2003, 19:30 IST
NEW YORK: Rajasthan will create a ministry for non-resident Indians (NRIs) to improve investment by expatriates in the state, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said here.
He inaugurated the Rajasthan International Convention 2003 organised by the Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) at the Huntington Hilton Hotel in Melville on Long Island, New York.
Gehlot said Rajasthan was on the road to becoming the most developed of northern Indian states thanks to power projects, literacy campaigns and other initiatives.
The proposed ministry for NRIs, he said, would aim to improve interaction between Indians settled abroad and the state to attract investments and other developmental projects into Rajasthan.
The convention drew a galaxy of eminent Rajasthanis from India and abroad, including industrialists L.N. Mittal and Ashok Agarwal from London, eminent U.S. surgeon Chitranjan Ranawat and erstwhile Jodhpur ruler Singh.
Rajasthan Finance Minister Pradyuman Singh, Industry Minister Chandra Bhan and Travel and Tourism Minister Shanti Dhariwal accompanied Gehlot. Others present at the inauguration included Bhishma Agnihotri, India's ambassador at large for NRIs and persons of Indian origin.
The convention, which included sessions on tourism, medical education and various other programmes, from cultural sessions to matrimonial alliances, concluded Sunday.
The chief minister, whose only programme during the visit was to attend the RANA convention, said: "The success of the convention was vital for Rajasthan.
"This is the first convention of Rajasthanis from across the world. Therefore it was vital that it succeed. My presence was thus vital. If the first convention had failed, future such events would not attract important people and thus may not contribute to the development of Rajasthan.
"I am happy it has succeeded. I can see that many Rajasthanis are not here. But wherever they are, when they see or hear of the convention, they too would have felt like being here," he said.
Steel magnate L.N. Mittal spoke of entrepreneurship in the 21st century. He traced the growth of his own company worldwide and stressed that globalisation was the key word for success.
"By globalisation, I do not mean offices worldwide and a large staff. I mean realising that communications is a vital necessity, that long-term values should not be forsaken for short-term gains, that changing work needs should be adapted to, and that one should ensure prudence in the conduct of business."
On responsible entrepreneurship, Mittal said the free market model was best suited for any country to offer its citizens growth and prosperity, and that community investment was vital to the growth and success of any company.
Ranawat made three points in his speech - that it was vital for Indians in the U.S. and elsewhere to stand united in order to have political standing in society, that the community should learn to give back to society and its roots in cash or kind, and that one should be healthy, and fair and honest in one's dealings.
Gaj Singh said Rajasthanis worldwide should contribute to preserving the state's culture and heritage and also help accelerate its development.
He traced the history of the state from prehistoric times to the present, and called for building institutions that would preserve the culture and heritage of the state, which, largely being oral, is in a fragile condition.
Source: IANS
Source: IANS