US, Chinese firms keen on setting up projects in C’garh: Govt

American and Chinese firms as well as other domestic industrial groups have evinced keen interest in investing in various sectors of Chhattisgarh, officials stated. A delegation of American Chamber of Commerce and US-India Business Council led by American Consul General Thomas Vajda on Monday met Chief Minister Raman Singh in Mumbai. During the second day of the ‘Make in India’ event, the Chief Minister  invited top investors to invest in Chhattisgarh. During his discussion with the American and Chinese delegations, Singh assured the delegates of providing every possible support for setting up industrial projects in Chhattisgarh. Commerce and Industry Minister Amar Agrawal, Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC) Chhagan Mundra and Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand were also present. The American delegation evinced interest for making investments in road sector, modernisation of railway stations, airports, warehouses, export of frozen agricultural products, water and sewerage treatment in Naya Raipur, Information Technology and Start-ups in Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, Principal Secretary Information Technology Aman Kumar Singh, CEO of Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) Rajat Kumar and CEO CHiPS Saurabh Kumar informed American

delegation about the facilities provided by Chhattisgarh Government to industries.

They informed that the State Government is providing free of cost land for setting up of Information Technology and mobile handsets manufacturing units. Officers also answered the queries of the delegation. The Chief Minister had discussions with more than 50 investors during the last two days and invited them to invest in Chhattisgarh. This included Managing Director of Lanco Solar Rajkumar Rai, Director of ITC Limited Sanjeev Puri, Kirloskar Group Chairman Sanjay Kirloskar, Aavesh Jain of Ruchi Soya, Pradeep Naiyyar of Autodesh, Darshan Hira Nandani of Hira Nandani Group, renowned Architect  Hafeez Contractor, Goldy Behl of Rose Audio Visual, Praveen Chheda of Sugal and Damaani Group, Pradeep Agrawal, Arun Lakhani of Vishwaraj Infastructure, and Vivek Gupta of GEPL Capital.

The Chief Minister also met noted film producers Ramesh Sippy and Subhash Ghai, and discussed about scope of film production, film city and film institute in Chhattisgarh.

An American delegation led by Consul for Political and Economic Affairs Raj Wadhwani and Ayesha Khan, Political Specialist of the Consulate General of USA in India called on senior officials of the Commerce & Industry Department of Chhattisgarh in Naya Raipur recently. In order to explore potential areas of partnership, the delegation was very keen to lay the groundwork for US companies on partnering the State and industrial units in Chhattisgarh, under Centre’s ‘Make in

India’ initiative and wanted to leverage on the State’s strengths in “Ease of Doing Business”, officials stated.

A delegation from the same office, led by US Consul General Thomas L Vajda had visited the State last year on December 9 and this was the follow-up visit on the agenda of promoting Chhattisgarh as preferred investment destination in India to US-based companies operating in India or intending to operate in India.

In a meeting at the Mantralaya with Subodh Singh, Secretary, Commerce & Industries, Wadhwani had congratulated the former and his team for emerging as one of the top States in India as per the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking exercise carried out by the Government of India and validated by the World Bank.

He had also expressed his keenness in promoting the State to the US-based investors for considering it as a preferred investment destination.

The meeting was also attended by Kartikeya Goel (Director, Industries), Saurabh Kumar (CEO, ChiPS), VK Chhablani (Special Secretary, C&I), and Rakesh Shrivastava (OSD, C&I) among others.

The Director (Industries) Kartikeya Goel made a detailed presentation showcasing Chhattisgarh’s potential, key strengths and investment opportunities in the State.

He also explained Chhattisgarh’s plan to establish itself among the top three investment destinations in India in the years to come. The presentation was concluded with Chhattisgarh’s expectations from the Office of US Consulate General.

Goel had requested the delegates to facilitate ‘Government to Business’ interaction between US-based companies and Government of Chhattisgarh through US-based business associations operating in India. Cooperation in the areas of skill development, innovation, research and development and business to business interaction was also sought.

Wadhwani in his deliberation assured full cooperation in facilitating business meetings and making Chhattisgarh among top three investment destinations in India.

On December 10, 2014, an American delegation from Montgomery which was on a two-day visit of Chhattisgarh had visited the State to have a look at various  ongoing projects and completed projects in the State’s hi-tech capital Naya Raipur.

The delegation was impressed by the architecture and appreciated the authorities for preserving the culture of the State while  planning of Naya Raipur. The 18-member delegation led by Isiah (Ike) Leggett had stated that the greenery, water harvesting and better infrastructure makes Naya Raipur different from new cities.

Leggett had also appreciated the rural development scheme and skill development besides rehabilitation schemes.

A day earlier, the US delegation had met Chief Minister Raman Singh and held discussions about possibilities of mutual cooperation between Chhattisgarh and Montgomery in the field of health, herbal medicines, non-conventional energy, information technology, handicraft and biotechnology.

Leggett had consented for cooperation in various sectors the economy and expressed interest in the field of generic medicines.

On the other hand, China has expressed keen interest in extending support to Chhattisgarh Government for developing India’s ‘Logistics Hub’ in the State.

Notably, State Commerce and Industry Minister Amar Agrawal had suggested Consul General of People’s Republic of China MA Zhanwu on a visit to Chhattisgarh last month had stated that owing to its location in the heart of the country, Chhattisgarh State can be developed as ‘Logistics Hub of India’.

The Consulate General then assured that China will encourage its industrialists to extend support in development of Chhattisgarh as ‘Logistics Hub’ of India.

The Chinese Consul General along with a three-member delegation had paid courtesy call on Commerce and Industry Minister Amar Agrawal at his office in his residence. The Minister discussed with delegates about the scope of Chinese investment in Chhattisgarh.

Agrawal informed the delegates in detail about the facilities provided to investors for promoting industrial investment in Chhattisgarh.

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Arun Lakhani - A sportsman at heart and a business leader by mind

Often have we witnessed great athletes evolve in to brilliant business leaders .Jeffrey Immelt, CEO at GE played football for Dartmouth’s Ivy League squad, IBM’s CEO Samuel Palmisano was a star player on the Johns Hopkins football team and Meg Whitman, the CEO of Hewlett-Packard was the captain of her school’s swim team, played tennis, basketball and was part of Princeton’s squash and lacrosse teams.

The co-relation between sportsmanship, the competitive edge that athletics develop and the qualities of a top-notch business person has not been lost on the business world. With this in mind, it makes sense that the Managing Director of one of India’s largest infrastructure development companies, Mr. Arun Lakhani has made it his mission to promote, support and spearhead efforts towards making sports more accessible. Specifically, Badminton has been his choice of game and the state of Maharashtra his playground.

In October, 2015, Mr. Lakhani was unanimously appointed as the new president of the Maharashtra Badminton Association, taking over from Pradeep Gandhe who was captaining the organisation for a decade.

“My experience across the years with the Executive Committee and Planning Committee have given me a deep understanding of what is required of me and have also shaped my ambitions for creating better infrastructure for Badminton within Maharashtra,”,said Mr. Lakhani.

The MBA aims to bridge the gap between Indian Badminton standards and those that are upheld internationally. With more talented players entering the arena each year, there is a great need for well-equipped facilities, academies and trainers. Mr. Lakhani, also a visionary in the Public Private Partnership sector has headed several enormous projects for Vishvaraj Infrastructure Ltd., alongside the government. With his skills and experience at managing complex projects and accomplishing large scale developments, the MBA is confident of their choice

“The MBA has managed to spread the game to all corners of the state. Around 24 districts are active, which is a very positive sign for badminton. Still, we lack in providing facilities to the talented players. We don’t have enough infrastructures to accommodate more players. My focus will be on to develop the facilities and infrastructure,” said the new president while addressing a meet-the-press programmer, organized by the Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur.

Mr. Lakhani’s first and foremost priority will be retain players who choose to leave Maharashtra and train in other states such Hyderabad and Bangalore which offer them better opportunities. One of the first milestones would be to set up a world-class academy in Maharashtra. It’s already clear that the goals being set by the Maharashtra Badminton Association are not simply those of an organization but of an avid lover of the sport itself.

While speaking to Nagpur Today, Mr. Lakhani said, “I am not new to Badminton as a sportsman. In my college days, I held the racquet regularly and displayed my skills on the court. But now-a-days due to busy schedule at office and other activities of vital nature, the racquet has now been passed to my son. My son is now honing his skills at the court and I am enjoying his services and powerful shots from the bench as a dutiful parent.”

There will, however, be challenges along the way. The previous president Mr. Gandhe attempted at acquiring land for a long time and now this responsibility will lay in the hands of Mr.Lakhani. His dreams of turning Maharashtra in to a national Badminton hub greatly depend on his ties with the government.

In the short term, the MBA hopes to improve existing badminton complexes and encouraging more potential champions to join the sport. Problem solving at a district level is being approached with a pre-defined agenda and systems are being put in to place to ensure better communications.

It will be interesting to observe how a Badminton enthusiast and focused businessman such as Mr. Lakhani changes the face of the sport in Maharashtra as well as India.

How Nagpur is moving ahead of the county?

Nagpur, a growing and significant part of Maharashtra has seen many changes over the last two decades. Economic growth, an inflow of human capital and a shift in it’s approach towards modernisation. In it’s own way it reflective of India as a country. The rabidlyurbanising nation is expected to reach a figure close to 600 million urban people by 2031. As with the nation, Nagpur too faces challenge related to urban planning especially in the areas of infrastructure support, governance and expansion. Water supply and waste water management are two critical areas, facing wastage, contamination and consistent supply.

As of November 2015, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has fully transferred the management of its water supply to a private company. The contract has been awarded to Orange City Water Supply Company, a joint venture between Vishwaraj Environment and Veolia Water India. With the aim to improve access to drinking water, the local body hopes to maintain standardised quality and supply.

The project headed by Mr. Arun Lakhani, a Nagpur local, is responsible for providing the entire city with 24-hour water supply. A complex challenge, this requires managing the water supply cycle which comprises procurement, treatment, storage and distribution. 550 million litres of water is supplied to 250, 000 households on a daily basis.

“The entire model has been created under a Public Private Partnership, which requires a close collaboration between the government and OCW. It is the way forward. A solution which combines good governance and private sector efficiency”, said Mr. Lakhani.

Innovation and design have been seen as key factors required to solve the challenges posed by a growing city. Vishvaraj Infrastructure Ltd., a global player in the infrastructure sector is not new to the game. Upgradation of assets, metering of water usage and proactive maintenance of the system have been recognised needs of the hour by Mr. Lakhani.

“Nagpur is home, and I wish to improve the wellbeing of the entire community. They are my people and I want to secure them against health hazards. OCW reflect my vision of achieving 24x7 drinking water supply of a certain quality, at reasonable rates, while ensuring that waste water is managed properly”, stated Mr. Lakhani.

OCW hopes to satisfy it’s customers through world-class services provided at affordable rates and in a sustainable manner. Including the entire community while promoting the benefits of water conservation has been at the forefront of it’s agenda. Citizens are gradually adopting a “Reduce, Recycle, Reuse”model.

More than 1, 89, 000 consumers, 50+ reservoirs and 2000+ km of pipelines create a challenging task for Mr. Lakhani and his team of experts. Operation and maintenance, daily supply and customer service are the priority areas and OCW has faced them optimistically.

“It is not an overnight job. Hundreds of employees are continuously improving different parts of the city.Project management is key,”stated Mr. Lakhani, a veteran in handling large scale infrastructure projects.

Nagpur is currently an experiment, not simply for the citizens and OCW but for the government as well. Whether it is successful or not, it a step in the right direction because it can teach us several lessons. These lessons are important for India as a nation to move towards managing it’s ever growing needs in a systematic and sustainable manner.

Nagpur itself has much to be proud of. It is not easy to welcome change, but the city has shown the rest of the country that is important to evolve in order for people to live healthier and prosperous lives.

Arun Lakhani - Man on a Mission

In 2015, India as a nation is enjoying exponential growth and establishing itself as one of the most successful economies. The Indian government now faces the challenge of providing infrastructure services and assets needed to maintain momentum. Electricity, new highways and water supply are just some of these. Even with 2013-2014 witnessing a gross tax collection of ₹13.64 trillion (US$210 billion) India struggles to create adequate systems. Funds raised through taxes and regulatory fees are massive yet limited, due to multiple expenses such as scientific research, agricultural support and military defence, to name a few.

Water scarcity and the management of waste water are especially pressing issues. Millions of Indian citizens suffer from a lack of access to clean drinking water. With the second largest population in the world, the problem is only expected to grow. By 2050 India will over take China’s population, when it is expected to reach 1.6 billion people. With a growing population, comes the stress associated with it. A massive agricultural sector to support food requirements, a growing economy to sustain the livelihood of citizens and the need for drinking water will only place a larger burden on quickly dwindling water bodies.

There is much to be done and the government is quickly realizing that Indian companies will play a large role in the coming years. Public Private Partnership models are being adopted across the country to solve a plethora of issues. With appropriate regulation, monitoring and political will the Indian government can give the Indian Infrastructure scenario the boost it needs to support our growing nation and compete with other first world countries.

In sphere of PPPs, one man's record stands out as an example of what can be achieved. Mr. Arun Lakhani, MD of Vishvaraj has evolved in to one of India’s leading experts and has successfully implemented water supply and waste water management projects.

He is the man behind Nagpur 24x7 water supply project. Nagpur, due to rapid urbanisation across the last two decades, has faced severe water supply challenges. The availability of water has been highly inconsistent ranging from a few hours a day to  a few minutes . Mismanagement of water distribution lead up to losses of up to 60%. Quality of water was frequently found to be bellow drinking standards.

In 2012, in order to face this gigantic challenge the Nagpur Municipal Corporation chose to enter in to a Public Private Partnership, a landmark move in the history of the Government working hand-in-hand with the private sector. Nagpur essentially opened it’s doors and mind to an opportunity

that would help build a streamlined and efficient model which could be replicated in the future.

Nagpur became the first city in India to build a 24/7, fully pressurised drinking water supply system. A joint venture company aptly named Orange City Water was created and entered a concussion contract under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM).

When asked about challenges faced, Mr. Lakhani said “Let challenges be a learning opportunity and not a reason to stop the development of our nation”. PPPs create several benefits such as access to additional resources, investments and stat-of-the-art technology. Mr. Lakhani wants to apply these benefits to several problems faced by India.

“Governments worldwide are increasingly turning to the private sector to help provide services in communication, energy and power, water and transport sectors. Streamlined and efficient methods usually adopted by corporates are the reason for this”, claims Mr. Arun Lakhani.

Reduced cost in the form of better executed planning and development of each project is large benefit that is often considered. A profitability approach ensures better screening of options, structuring of projects and choice of technology.

“The Indian Government can benefit from an increase in services, without spending immediate cash, avoiding major risks by transferring them to the private sector and ensuring timely delivery of projects”,  added Mr. Lakhani.

With success stories such as the one unfolding in Nagpur, it is time to apply what we have learnt to other parts of India. In fact, as of 2015 several states and cities have already begun signing PPP agreements, especially in the water supply and waste water treatment sectors. Punjab, Haryana, Panchkula, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Karnal are some of these.

Haryana and Punjab plan to implement state-of-the-art water supply systems and water waste management protocols. Mr. Lakhani believes in empowering the private sector in India and strongly advocates that PPPs would improve efficiency in water systems ,water treatment plants and in the reuse of water. With a track record such as his, it would be wise to pay heed to his advise and take a closer look at his proposed solutions.