Chhattisgarh Will Double GSDP To Rs 10 Lakh Cr In 5 Yrs

Raipur: Chhattisgarh plans to double the State’s gross domestic product (GSDP) to Rs10 lakh crore in five years, combining the State’s rich resources with progressive policies to bolster economic growth and development, its finance minister OP Choudhary said.

The State’s new industrial policy that incentivised employment creation has already drawn investment commitments of more than Rs1 lakh crore in the last 15 months, he said. Semiconductors manufacturing, data centres, IT services, pharmaceuticals as well as medical tourism are the focus areas, he said.

The power surplus State is also eyeing renewable energy, particularly solar, as it has abundant sunlight through the year, the minister said, adding that a few opportunities in hydel power are also being explored.

“We have a focus on clean energy. We have a focus on sustainability. Sustainable development will sustain in the long term,” he said. While it looks at boosting manufacturing, the state is tapping other areas such as ayurveda and medical tourism as well as using its vast natural resources as a draw for tourism.

“We want to develop Raipur as a wedding destination. Our secondary sector is already very strong. We are focusing on the tertiary sector and the labour-intensive sector so that we can give employment to our youth.” The state is focusing on infrastructure development, urban transport modernisation, digital connectivity and education and skill development to pivot a path to economic progress. Aligned with the vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, no state should lag behind in the race for development, he said.

“As a state government, we have to worry about this. And it is our duty to contribute to the development of the country. And when the country becomes a developed nation, Chhattisgarh should not lag behind. The 3 crore people of this state should not lag behind,” he said. Chhattisgarh has prepared a vision document to become a developed state by 2047. In the medium term, “we have set a very important goal of doubling

the GDP of Chhattisgarh to Rs 10 lakh crore within 5 years,” he said.