Sagar, April 11: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Bundelkhand is rich in vast possibilities but it is ironical that most of the people living on this rich soil are poor. Chouhan expressed these thoughts while inaugurating the one-day Bundelkhand Investors Meet at Sagar today. The CM said that his government wants to change this face of Bundelkhand and its mission is to ensure social, economic, industrial and infrastructural development of entire State as well as Bundelkhand.

At the inaugural session of Bundelkhand Investors Meet, 14 MoUs for investment worth Rs 14257 crore 20 lakh were inked in the presence of the CM. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also announced sanction to the tune of Rs 10 crore for constructing a dam across Bebas rivulet with a view to solving water crisis being faced by Sidguwan Industrial Development Area in Sagar district. Some industrialists had urged the CM in this connection today.

Earlier, the Chief Minister and the guests inaugurated the investors meet by lighting the traditional lamp. The inauguration was made amidst melodious Bundelkhandi song to the tunes of folk instrument Ramtula.

Chouhan said that earlier the state lacked conducive atmosphere for industrial development. Our government has developed a new work culture. With this, Madhya Pradesh has become a model state in the context of industrial development. He said that we do not sit idle while remaining satisfied with inking of MoUs alone. MoUs are not mere pieces of paper for us. Those MoUs would be cancelled implementation on which is not started within six months. He informed that implementation on 70 percent of the total 181 MoUs has started.

The Chief Minister said that it has become impossible to remain dependent merely on present methods of agriculture. He said that this investors' meet is part of the strategy to counter and tide over the drought which has hit Bundelkhand region for the last two consecutive years. Chouhan said that to keep pace with the mainstream, industrialisation would have to be accelerated. He said that youths of Bundelkhand are brimming with potential. It is industrialisation through which vast employment opportunities can be made available to the young generation of the region. The CM said industrial houses should also set up training centres side by side their units so that trained human resources become available at the local level.

Welcoming industrialists, the CM exhorted them to develop this region with open heart. Every impediment in their path would be removed and even rules can be made lenient. He dwelt in detail about Bundelkhand region's natural resources, feasibilities of investment and tourist heritages.