States promote export-worthy services

Delhi: The state pavilion describes it as the “Window to India’s Culture”. The Commonwealth Games is the one theme that holds the pavilion together. The state has highlighted its experience in health and medical tourism,and its potential for real estate development. Delhi also plays up the 2011 Cricket World Cup and its bid for the 2016 Olympics. The message to visitors is that the state is open for investment.

ORISSA: The state has stuck to the topic so much so that the outside of the pavilion boldly declares,“The Treasure Trove of Services”. Along with obvious items like tourism and marine products,the pavilion also finds space for recent reality show winners like the Prince Dance Group. Along with aggressive promotion of the Team Orissa brand,there are detailed export performance charts,along with details of exported products.

KERALA: The state seems to have taken the “services” theme seriously. At the entrance to the pavilion is an imposing but graceful concrete sculpture representing the ubiquitous Malayali nurse. Kerala talks of exporting its knowledge in Ayurveda. There is of course tourism,but also culture and IT. A surprise sighting was space technology,an allusion to the state producing multiple ISRO chairmen and scientists. Kerala also pays tribute to its unskilled labourers,who went to the Gulf countries to kickstart a “Gulf Revolution”.

MADHYA PRADESH: “Exporting Spirituality”,the state pavilion bluntly announces. Inside the pavilion,however,there seems to be nothing to follow up that claim. There is the usual tourism and its variants,leisure and adventure; IT,industries,handlooms,apart from the Investment Information Centre,finds space. In keeping with the impressive MP tourism campaign of late,another good-looking quote goes: “From village to city,from city to the nation,from the nation to the world”.

UTTARAKHAND: Uttarakhand is the focus state at this year’s trade fair. The state pavilion is shorn of the decorations that adorn other pavilions,and the industries and traders are not particularly export-oriented. The banners in the pavilion provide an insight on what the government aims for. “Golden gate of spiritual world”,“An exotic blend of nature and culture”,“The birthplace of Ayurveda and Yoga”,and “Touching the world through heart-woven handicrafts”,they announce.

MANIPUR: Probably caught between the need to stick to the theme and the state’s urgent want of investments,Manipur chose the middle path and decided to merely showcase. The state pavilion displays the state’s culture,tourism,IT and telecom,and best of all,its famous sportspersons. There is a footballer,boxer and weightlifter depicted in the pavilion,the last two being women.

MIZORAM: The state tries to shake off its “unfit for industry” tag,and the emphasis is on investments; not exports. Apart from state’s potential for tourism,the pavilion points to the possibility of having more tea-processing units in the state. The state talks of its oil and natural gas reserves the most — 60 per cent of its land area is being explored for oil,it declares. The state also promotes the availability of a highly literate and cheap workforce.

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