Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia invites investors to ‘the city of opportunities’

NEW DELHI: Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday invited retail and e-commerce players to invest in the national capital.
Speaking at Invest India Exclusive Investment Forum, Sisodia said Delhi was a city of opportunities with world-class infrastructure, a young consumption-driven economy and a government with a proven track record of governance making it a compelling destination for investors.
The investment forum was attended by leading retail and e-commerce players from across the country and Sisodia, who also holds the portfolio of finance department, addressed them from his office through videoconferencing. He talked about a plethora of opportunities offered by the national capital for retail and e-commerce firms to invest in its economy, Delhi government said in a statement.
According to officials, the aim of the forum, organised by Invest India, a national investment promotion and facilitation agency of the government of India, was to bring the state government and potential investors on a common platform to share ideas and to showcase favourable policies, ready infrastructure and other details of the industrial ecosystem of Delhi. Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructural Development Corporation managing director Vikas Anand also attended the meeting.
The forum was attended by investors from 30 countries. About 20 industry sectors, including apparels, automobiles, e-commerce healthcare and sportswear, from countries across the world, such as the USA, Japan, Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Australia, participated in the webinar.
Addressing the event, Sisodia accepted that the adverse financial impact of Covid-19 pandemic would be more long-lasting than its health effects. Delhi was gearing up to revive its economy despite facing many challenges, he added.
“Delhi is a city of opportunities. Our state GDP has doubled in the past seven years and we have a per capita income of Rs 3,89,000, which is three times the national average. We also have an effective people-centric government under the leadership of CM Arvind Kejriwal,” Sisodia told the potential investors.
Sisodia added that Delhi had substantial land bank for investment in sectors, such as tourism and hospitality; automobile parts; handloom and handicrafts; gems, jewellery and perfumes; packaged foods; leather goods and garments; steel fabrication; e-commerce; retail and information technology.
“The upcoming industrial hubs in Ranikhera, Mundka, Baprola and Kanjhawala, along with the Mundka North warehousing cluster, have ample capacity available and they make Delhi an ideal destination for companies looking to set up retail or sourcing operations,” the deputy chief minister said.