Chhattisgarh aims to emerge as a major information technology and industrial hub in central India, with leading technology firms from Bengaluru expressing interest in expanding operations in the state at the Chhattisgarh Investors Connect Meet held in the Karnataka capital on Wednesday. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai engaged with industry leaders and investors, securing investment proposals worth Rs 3,700 crore across sectors such as information technology/information technology-enabled services, textiles, food processing, engineering, electronics, and green fuel. The state government signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), and TiE Bangalore to promote growth in the IT, semiconductor, and startup ecosystems. Major announcements were made by GPSR Arya Pvt Ltd, which proposed an investment of Rs 1,350 crore in compressed biogas and green fuel; Keynes Technology with Rs 1,000 crore in IT/ITES; Klene Paks with Rs 500 crore in textiles; Britannia with Rs 200 crore in food processing; and Gokaldas Exports & SRV Knit Tech Pvt Ltd with Rs 100 crore each in textiles. Chief Minister Sai highlighted Chhattisgarh’s pro-industry policies, emphasising streamlined investment procedures through a digital approval system, eliminating paperwork and ensuring swift clearances. The state’s new industrial policy offers tax incentives, capital investment reimbursements (30-50 per cent), and employment-linked benefits. “Special incentives have been introduced for emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, computing, and green hydrogen. Additionally, a pharmaceutical park in Nava Raipur, projected to become Central India’s largest, is being developed” he said. On the concerns due to Maoism and its impact on the business ecosystem in his state, the chief minister said, “Earlier there was a misconception that the moment you reach Raipur airport you hear gunshots. But that is not true. We are actively cracking down on left-wing extremism and as a double engine government we are fostering an active business ecosystem. We urge investors and industrialists to tap the rich natural resources available in our state and contribute to the growth of the nation.” A senior official from the Chhattisgarh government told indianexpress.com, “We are already pioneers in some of the most complex industries. When you think of mining or cement, we have successfully positioned ourselves as leaders. Given this trajectory, we are confident that we can extend similar success to consumer industries.” On security concerns, the official said, “The issue is relatively minor—it’s a perception challenge rather than a large-scale problem. For instance, Hyderabad is just two hours away from the affected area, whereas we are 450 km away. Our approach is twofold: we need to offer incentives while also addressing misperceptions. That is precisely what we are working on—transforming perception and attracting new investments to this region.” The official added, “We are the only state in the country engaged in lithium mining, an industry that presents immense potential. In the past, we had 23,000 graduates passing out in relevant fields. Now, that number has grown to 50,000. We are working to match this talent pool with industry demands. Our state has successfully developed a 230-sq-km greenfield site, demonstrating our commitment to large-scale investments.”
