As the sun sets over Indore - the largest city in Madhya Pradesh and is ranked as "the cleanest city in India" for the sixth consecutive year, stage is set to host the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from 08-10 January 2023.
The new
The special features of the 17th PBD includes, Digital Exhibition on the contribution of diaspora freedom fighters in laying the foundation of our country, MP Village, Zero Waste Event, an exclusive day dedicated to the Youth Pravasis, launching of Postal Stamp ‘Surakshit Jaayen (Go Safe), Prashikshit Jaayen (Be Trained)’, visit to Mahakaal and experience Bhasma Aarti, meeting previous year’s PBSA Awardees, access to State Archaeological Monuments and Museum, Networking and Communication and exploring investment opportunities in the city that has reserved its place in the first 20 cities to be developed as smart cities in India.
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The reason
A major reason for hosting 17th PBD in Indore and in Madhya Pradesh is its glorious past. Madhya Pradesh, being the heart of India, has an important role in moulding India’s history, culture and heritage. It is the second largest state by area and the fifth largest state by population. The State has been an attraction of India because of its geographical location in the country’s centre. One-half of the state is forested and offers a unique panorama of wildlife.
The economy
A second important factor is the economy of Madhya Pradesh which is primarily agrarian, and it is a champion in the development of agriculture and allied sector for more than a decade. Wheat, soybean, gram, sugarcane, rice, maize, cotton, rapeseed, mustard, and arhar are the main crops grown in Madhya Pradesh. In the Morena district of MP, honey production is renowned as well. The rural economy of the state also benefits from Minor Forest Produce (MFP), which includes items like lak, sal seed, teak seed, and tendu leaves. Owing to an impressive agriculture growth rate, MP has been the recipient of the Krishi Karman Award many times.
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The platform
Madhya Pradesh is home to around 280 pharmaceutical units operating in the industrial areas of Dewas, Indore, Pithampur, Mandideep and Malanpur. The State has immense potential to become the manufacturing hub of India due to the availability of land, Narmada water, power surplus, almost negligible labour-unrest incidents, presence of eminent skill institutes, and availability of the best infrastructure for setting up industries in the state.
The state has focused on infrastructure development in agriculture and allied sectors, and by developing the infrastructure, it is attracting industries, thereby generating employment opportunities.
It is very clear that Madhya Pradesh is suitable for the auto sector, food processing, textile and apparel, defence sector logistics and warehousing development.
The connection
Moreover, Indore is well connected to some of the major cities in India like Delhi and Mumbai. The Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport which is just 10 kms from the city has direct flights for Indore from Lucknow, New Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Gujarat, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, etc.
Besides, road and railway connections to all major cities are available from Indore Junction BG Railway Station. Travel time from Delhi to Indore by railway is around 12 hours.
The nature
In the National Parks of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Shivpuri and others, visitors can see the tiger, the bison and a wide variety of deer and antelope in natural surroundings. Due to the abundance of tigers and other wildlife in the national parks of the state, it has been recognized as the ‘Tiger State of India’.
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The old
The capital during the Holkar era, Indore is a perfect mélange of the old and the new, where old heritage structures coexist with modern multi-storeyed buildings. The big city image yet traditional vibe of Indore makes it a fabulous place to host the event.
Numerous monuments, intricately carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces on hilltops showcases the visions of empires and kingdoms, of the great warriors and builders, poets and musicians, saints and philosophers; of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
The guest
Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, will be the Chief Guest at the 17th PBD, and Ms. Zaneta Mascarenhas, Member of Parliament of Australia, will be the Guest of Honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. H.E. Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname will be the Special Guest of Honour at the 17th PBD.
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The GIS
Finally, the landscape of 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be reflected on the 7th edition of the Invest Madhya Pradesh – Global Investors Summit on 11-12 January 2023 at the Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore.
The two-day event aims to showcase the investment climate and industrial infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh and offers opportunities for prospective collaborations, with special focus on labour-intensive sectors like garments, food processing and pharmaceuticals.
