Gujarat approves Rs 1,478 crore industrial projects, creating over 4,100 jobs

Gandhinagar, Aug 13 (IANS) The Gujarat government has approved applications from 22 major enterprises involving investments of Rs 1,478.71 crore, expected to generate more than 4,136 new jobs.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Industries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput to grant final eligibility certificates under the 'Incentive to Industries' scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Rajput highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has developed a robust, industry-friendly ecosystem, and Gujarat, guided by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has been at the forefront.

"Since the launch of the 'Incentive to Industries' scheme, the state has attracted investments worth approximately Rs 1,48,336.35 crore, creating over 1.65 lakh direct jobs. This has given a strong push to ancillary units in the MSME sector," he said.

The newly approved projects span diverse sectors and districts: Ahmedabad (metal, paper, food-agro, cement-concrete) with Rs 383.91 crore, Kutch (metal) with Rs 227.77 crore, Bharuch (chemical, ceramic) with ₹218.88 crore, Mehsana (paper) with Rs 55.23 crore, Morbi (ceramic, metal, paper, textile) with Rs 167.70 crore, Rajkot (metal) with ₹36.22 crore, Valsad (chemical, plastic, paper) with ₹359.47 crore, and Surendranagar (paper) with Rs 29.53 crore.

The state's 'Incentive to Industries' scheme, introduced under the Industrial Policy 2015, aims to position Gujarat as a global manufacturing hub by promoting advanced technology adoption, attracting large-scale investments, and supporting innovative projects.

By offering net SGST reimbursement, the scheme has turned Gujarat into one of the most attractive investment destinations not only in India but worldwide, drawing strong interest from major industries.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Mamta Verma, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries & Mines), Sanjiv Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest & Environment), Dr. Vinod Rao, Secretary (Labour & Employment), and P. Swaroop, Industries Commissioner.

Gujarat has emerged as one of India's strongest employment performers, with the labour force participation rate rising to 48.1 per cent in 2022–23 from 39.6 per cent five years ago, an 8.5 percentage point jump, nearly double the national gain.

The state's overall unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country at 1.7–1.8 per cent, compared to the national average of 6.6 per cent, while youth unemployment (ages 15–29) stands at just 5.1 per cent, also one of the lowest nationally.

--IANS

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