Naidu's economic numbers could land one in jail or mental hospital, says Swiss minister
Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was visibly embarrassed by
the comments of the Swiss Minister for Economy, Pascal Couchepin, at a
luncheon meeting in Hyderabad Friday.
Reacting
to the presentation made by Naidu on the "Vision-2020" envisaged for
the state, the Swiss minister felt that Andhra Pradesh's target for a
seven-fold increase in the gross state product in the next two decades
was a bit too ambitious.
"Such
projections we cannot make in our country. In the best of electoral
speeches in Switzerland, we cannot make such promises or projections. If
I make such promises, I will be sent either to a jail or a (mental)
hospital," Pascal Couchepin quipped, even as Naidu was seen squirming in
his seat.
When Naidu recalled how a city-based company, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, was
able to achieve almost a thousand-fold increase in its turnover to
almost Rs 6.5 billion now, the Swiss minister shot back that such growth
could be good for companies and their shareholders but the states could
not achieve such ambitious growth.
However,
the Swiss minister told Naidu that he was very impressed with the
"Vision-2020, which is very clear, simple and concise". He said that
India and Switzerland were very close in the rankings in the world in
terms of the size of the GDP. While India's GDP ranked 17th, the Swiss
GDP was reckoned at 15th position.
The
Swiss minister also had a word of advice for Naidu. He said that a
predominantly agrarian state like Andhra Pradesh should lay stress on
the development of the farm sector, which provided employment and
foodgrains for the people.
Pascal
Couchepin, who led a 25-member high-level Swiss delegation of officials
and businessmen on a two-day visit to the city, said that both India
and Switzerland needed to work together.
"We
need each other's help to expand the economy. We must strengthen the
existing bilateral, economic and trade relations between our countries.
The visit to India offers first-hand view on India's economy to the
leading Swiss industrialists and industry organisation representatives,"
he said and added that the Swiss delegation was in Hyderabad to
identify and explore the potential areas for bilateral investments and
improved trade and business relations.
Naidu
mooted the idea for setting up a Promotion Board with representatives
from Andhra Pradesh and Switzerland to coordinate and interact
periodically for exploring possibilities for mutual investments and
bilateral trade.
"Every year, I am coming to Davos," Naidu
said, recalling his visit to Switzerland during 1999 and this year to
attend the World Economic Forum summits. "I will send you updates on the
possibilities for investments here on the Internet but we should
explore the possibility for setting up a promotion board," he said.
Naidu
also invited the Swiss banks and insurance companies to set up their
operations in Hyderabad, which he wanted to develop as the financial and
insurance hub rivalling Bombay.
http://www.rediff.com/money/2000/feb/18naidu.htm|
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