Vasundhara Raje: Purse and passion plea

It is time for the sons of the soil to spare a thought ? and some resources ? for homeland Rajasthan. At an interaction with city-based Marwaris, chief minister Vasundhara Raje made a pitch for both ?cash and care? from the successful bunch of non-resident Rajasthanis (NRR).

During her two-hour interaction with the leaders of Calcutta?s business fraternity, she spoke the language best understood by her audience known for its business acumen. ?Come back home quick, before others make it. The Gujaratis have already sniffed the prospects in Rajasthan,? said Raje at an interactive session, hosted by the city chapter of Rajasthan Foundation, an autonomous body of the government.

Industrialists H.P. Budhia of Patton, R.S. Agarwal of Emami, H.P. Kanoria of Srei, P.R. Agarwal of Rupa Hosiery and M.K. Jalan of Keventer Agro were among those attending the afternoon meeting.

From showcasing the state?s strength in IT industry to highlighting sops for setting up dairies, the chief minister rolled out a comprehensive list to lure investments. ?The roads in our state are top class. To make things even better, we are laying a north-south and east-west corridor,? said Raje, as she painted a bright new picture of the land of the deserts.

Stressing on the government?s commitment to create an enabling environment, she mentioned a host of recent initiatives ? knowledge cities, special economic zones, the longest optic fibre network, tissue culture centre, mandatory English courses in schools, new programmes in colleges and universities, and more.

Blending free-market philosophy with focus on development initiatives Raje requested the cash-rich community to help the government set up educational institutions and healthcare facilities, tackle the problem of water scarcity and ensure meals for children in their home state. She also invited NRRs to take part in heritage conservation.

?To reduce non-plan expenditure, we have a new approach towards public-private partnership. Instead of you setting up institutions and we running them, the government will give you fixed assets, which you will have to manage,? said Raje, who has won points for fiscal prudence.

The gesture ? the chief minister seeking purse and passion ? won instant appreciation, with promises to support the mission of a rejuvenated Rajasthan pouring in. ?Most of us try to do something for our native place. But if the initiatives are coordinated with the help of the government, the impact will be much greater,? summed up Sundeep Bhutoria, honorary secretary, Rajasthan Foundation.