Like Raipur, a wholesale corridor will be built in Durg as well: Bhupesh Baghel

Raipur,

Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that a wholesale corridor similar to that in Raipur will be built in Durg as well. Chief Minister made this announcement while addressing the inaugural programme of new office building of District Trade and Industry Center in Durg District Headquarters today. Chief Minister has directed Durg Collector to earmark the land for this purpose. Many public representatives including Home Minister Mr. Tamradhwaj Sahu, Agriculture Minister Mr. Ravindra Choubey, Urban Administration and Development Minister Dr. Shivkumar Dahria and Chairman of State Warehousing Corporation Mr. Arun Vora were also present in the program.
Mr. Baghel said that Durg is an industrial district, but Bhilai is the place recognized as the industrial center of the country. After the establishment of BSP, many industries were started in Bhilai. The industries here play a big role in development of Durg. In the intervening period, there was a period of privatization and the demand for workers declined, while the technology took over. BSP is like the backbone for industries of the state.

Chief Minister said that Durg district has also been a hub of vegetables and fruits. The farmers here are growing various crops that have demand in abroad as well. After several meetings and discussions with the industrialists, we have formulated our Industrial Policy for the state. We have carefullly handpicked the best aspects of the policies of other states as wel. During the COVID crisis, I kept meeting the representatives of various industrial organizations, learning about their grievances and resolving it. We adopted the policy of industrial expansion even in those areas of the state where there were hardly any industries, said Chief Minister. He said that there will be no NPA in this policy.
Mr. Baghel said that the demand for industries is mostly based on its capacity to create employment, however sometimes establishment of an industry is opposed by the localites. We have told the localites that the establishment of industries at local-level would create more employment locally and then they would not have to migrate away from their home in search of work. Chief Minister said that during COVID crisis, we spoke to people of those areas, where where a large number of workers were brought back. We told them that we have marked orange areas in the state so as to establish more industries at the local level. In the meeting with the chamber officials in Bastar, we advised the industrialists to conduct a proper survey at local level to set up industries and to focus on skill development of people as per the requirement of the industry. Employment opportunities would motivate the localites to support the establishment of the industries.
In his address to the prorgramme, Chief Minister highlighted the work done for the millers.  State Government has hiked the milling charges and there is a meager amount of paddy left in the collection centres. We have also converted Gauthans into rural industries and now we are working towards developing them as Rural Industrial Park. Self Help Groups engaged in these rural industrial parks are ready to supply their products as per the requirement of businesses and industries, which can turn out to be a great help to the industries. Mr. Baghel assured the industrialists of extending every possible support from State Government, while they strive to improve the industrial scenario of the state tremendously.
Chief Minister also mentioned about his discussion with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari. He said that there is a lot of potential in the energy sector of the state. Receiving permit to manufacture ethanol from paddy can be a big leap for this industry. The market has benefited from farmer-oriented policies and the urban economy has also benefited from the same. We aim to create opportunities to all in both core sector and beyond. Our industrialists are the brand ambassadors of our industry. Chief Minister had personal interaction with the industrialists, during the program.