Advantage Vidarbha Unlocks Rs45,000 Crore Investment

Nagpur: The Advantage Vidarbha has drawn investment proposals worth Rs45,000 crore, said Union minister Nitin Gadkari at the concluding ceremony of the 3-day summit here on Sunday. This shows the region is firmly on a new growth trajectory after decades of being associated with distress and underdevelopment.Addressing industry representatives, officials and stakeholders, Gadkari said Vidarbha's story has undergone a fundamental shift. He recalled that there was a time when the region was known for all wrong reasons. Gadchiroli, he said, was synonymous with Naxalite movement, Melghat witnessed deaths of around 2,500 children due to malnutrition, and nearly 10,000 farmers committed suicides. Gadkari said the turning point for Vidarbha was a clear focus on employment generation backed by investment and infrastructure. He said the region must now identify opportunities across sectors and work decisively on them, from education and skill development to innovation and entrepreneurship.Gadkari said Gadchiroli emerged as one of the biggest attractions for investors due to the availability of high-quality iron ore. "Around Rs45,000 crore investments came during this session of Advantage Vidarbha," Gadkari said, adding the longer-term investment target for Gadchiroli alone stands at around Rs7.5 lakh crore. He said the district is fast emerging as a major hub for mining and steel-related activities.Highlighting ongoing and upcoming projects, Gadkari said, "Lloyds Metals is already operating on a big scale, Tata started the groundwork, and many more are coming." He linked industrial growth with local capacity building, stressing that investment must translate into opportunities for the region's youth.The Union minister also spoke at length about Vidarbha's vast forest resources and the need to balance conservation with livelihood creation. He said forests must be developed in a way that generates sustainable employment for people living around forested areas. Referring to human-wildlife conflict, Gadkari said the increase in tiger population created new challenges. "I joked in recent times that it's time to do vasectomy on tigers," he said, adding that the situation reached a point where tigers are entering villages and are even being relocated to other states. But he also acknowledged that people from across the world come to see tigers, which is why tourism flourishes.On tourism, Gadkari announced plans for a global-scale adventure project in Ambhora. "We are building an international-level water sports facility," he said, adding the project would include adventure activities such as people diving from planes above water bodies. According to Gadkari, such initiatives would attract international tourists and create new employment avenues in the region.Summing up his address, Gadkari said Vidarbha is no longer defined by its past hardships but by the opportunities now opening up. He said the challenge ahead lies in identifying these opportunities early and executing them effectively. From education and innovation to industry and tourism, Gadkari said, Vidarbha must continue to move forward with a clear focus on jobs and inclusive growth.