By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The Uttarakhand government on Sunday defended its Global Investors Summit-23, which attracted investment proposals worth Rs 3.56 lakh crore, after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ridiculed the inclusion of flour mills, mobile shops and fertiliser and seed stores in the list of investments which had been translated into projects.
State Industries Secretary Vinay Shankar Pandey said questioning the inclusion of small businesses in the investment figures was unfair, arguing that even modest investments could generate employment and support the local economy. “If a local person invests Rs 10,000 of hard-earned money to start a small business and provides employment to two people, that too contributes to the state’s economy and job creation,” Pandey said.
Gandhi, in a social media post citing a web portal investigation, questioned the government’s claim that investments worth over Rs 1 lakh crore had taken shape following the December 2023 summit. He alleged that some businesses listed as investors were unaware of their inclusion and demanded that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami publish the complete list of 3,300 investors.
Gandhi also questioned the inclusion of government power companies and a school reportedly valued at Rs 24.49 crore, besides raising doubts about investments attributed to companies associated with roadshows in Dubai and London.
Rejecting allegations of misleading reporting, Pandey said investment details, including project locations and the departments concerned, were available on the Industries Department and single-window system portals.
He said investments worth more than Rs 1.01 lakh crore had been grounded so far, with another Rs 24,000 crore being prepared for taking shape ahead of the fourth such ceremony.
Pandey said Uttarakhand’s geographical constraints and forest cover limited the scope for large industries mainly to Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and parts of Nainital district. The government’s investment policy sought to balance economic growth with environmental protection, he added.
He said the government valued small entrepreneurs as well as large industrialists, arguing that the contribution of an investment should be judged not only by its size but also by the employment and livelihood opportunities it creates.