New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) The Adani Group will invest an additional Rs 50,000 crore across the northeastern region over the next 10 years, which would prioritise local jobs and entrepreneurship, its Chairman, Gautam Adani, said on Friday. With this, the Adani Group has pledged Rs one lakh crore investments for the northeast. Addressing the ‘Rising North East Investors Summit’ here in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the billionaire industrialist said the focus would span across green energy, including smart meters, hydro-pump storage, power transmission, roads and highways, digital infrastructure, logistics and capacity building through skilling and vocational training centres.

“We will invest in people. Every initiative will prioritise local jobs, local entrepreneurship and community engagement. This is what Viksit Bharat@2047 is all about,” Gautam Adani told the gathering. The Adani Group Chairman further stated that when PM Modi said ’Act East, Act fast, Act first,’ he gave the northeast a wake-up call. “Rs 6.2 lakh crore worth investments since 2014, doubling the road network to 16,000 kilometres, doubling the number of airports to 18 -- this is not just a policy but a hallmark of PM Modi's big thinking, belief systems and conviction in Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas,” Gautam Adani emphasised.

The Adani Group in February announced a massive Rs 50,000 crore investment in Assam, marking one of the highest-ever investment commitments by a business group to the state. “To our brothers and sisters in the northeast, we at Adani will stand beside your side, your dreams, your dignity and your destiny,” Gautam Adani added. The two-day summit aims to bring together key stakeholders, investors and policymakers on a single platform. 

According to a Prime Minister's Office (PMO) statement, the main focus sectors include tourism and hospitality, agro-food processing and allied sectors; textiles, handloom and handicrafts; healthcare; education and skill development; information technology or information technology-enabled services; infrastructure and logistics; energy; and entertainment and sports. The ‘Rising North East Investors Summit’ will see ministerial sessions, business-to-government sessions, business-to-business meetings, startups and exhibitions of policy and related initiatives taken by state governments and central ministries for investment promotion.

--IANS