Ex Tex Minister Rana on airport & Surat jewellery park

24 Jan '06

2 min read

The delay in construction of gems and jewellery park and not having an airport in Surat are big roadblocks in the path of city' progress, said former Union minister and BJP MP for five consecutive terms Kashiram Rana.

He stated inaction on the part of government will prove detrimental to the massive efforts being put in by the authorities, textile and diamond industry and corporate giants for the development of Surat.

Rana intended to take up the issue with civil aviation minister Praful Patel in the ensuing budget session of the Lok sabha.

The MP has expressed his apprehension that Surat will not achieve the desired status of fast emerging economic hub in western India without the air link to European countries dealing with diamonds.

Rana added that with the setting up gems and Jewellery Park, two special economic zones at Sachin and also massive expansion of textile industry, Surat will require a host of facilities to cope with the speedy development.

He was equally critical of the state government which, he alleged, is not following up quickly on projects like the gems and Jewellery Park and apparel park.

The BJP leader regretted that some of the jewellers who had evinced keen interest in setting up their units in Surat have started migrating to Maharashtra where the government has launched a similar project.

Referring to the urban development scenario of Surat, Rana,who had played a key-role in augmentation of civic services as three-time mayor of the SMC, said the SMC as well as SUDA administration should accord high priority to the urban projects and expansion of Reliance and Essar which will attract more than 2,00,000 people to this city.

He included the state government should set up a mechanism to monitor the projects of the fast developing city.

The Times of India

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