Jharkhand CM invites Chinese investments in the state's food processing sector

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das Tuesday invited Chinese investments in the food processing sector in his state, which is one of the largest producer of vegetables and fruits in India.

Das, who is currently on a five-day tour to China on the invitation of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), held talks with Song Tao, Minister of International Department of the party here to enhance ties between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CPC.

He also called on Huang Kunming, a Politburo member and Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC.

The talks were focussed on enhancing India-China relations as well as the party-to-party relations between the BJP and the CPC, he told Indian media here on Tuesday.

Das also said he was visiting China, both as a BJP worker and the state's Chief Minister, to enhance relations with China in the backdrop of the Wuhan summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Besides the BJP, the CPC has party-to-party ties with other Indian political parties, including the Congress and the CPI(M).

During the talks, Das said, he highlighted about the various development projects in his resource-rich state and invited Chinese investments specially in the food processing industry as Jharkhand in one of the largest producer of vegetables and fruits in India.

He said, he has invited China to be the partner country in "the Global Agriculture and Food Summit '18" being held by Jharkhand in November 29-30 in the state capital, Ranchi.

The summit will highlight the rich ecosystem of Jharkhand and its untapped potential of agriculture and food sectors, he said, adding that his aim was to make the state a food-processing hub of the eastern India and invited large-scale Chinese participation.

He said that land allocation for the setting up factories was not an issue as his government has acquired 1000 acres of land, which has been transferred to the Industrial Area Development Authority of the state.

"Chinese investors coming through regular foreign investors route can access the land for their units," said Das.

The Jharkhand chief minister had visited Beijing and Shanghai and he will now be visiting the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, where China's large food processing units are located.

He said that in Zhengzhou, he will be meeting provincial leadership of Henan Province and visit major food processing and infrastructure companies of China and invite them to invest in Jharkhand.

During his meetings with Chinese officials, he highlighted the various development projects undertaken by his state, including the world's tallest 'Buddha stupa' to be built at Itkhori in Chatra district.

He said Itkhori has special significance to Buddhists as it is where Buddha has left his mother and headed to Bodh Gaya.

Plans are afoot to link Itkhori to Buddhist circuit which is being developed to attract more Chinese tourists, he said.

Das also said there are plans to build a tower, similar to the Shanghai tower, in Ranchi to attract tourists.

The Shanghai tower is the world's second tallest building. The 632-metre, 128-story mega skyscraper has the world's highest observation deck within a building. It is also equipped with the world's fastest elevators.

(This article has not been edited by Zeebiz editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)