Economic Architect
Passion for Enterprise & Job Creation
A K Sharma Economic Architect –
As IAS officer, I worked at grass root administration till September 2001.
In October 2001, I was appointed as Secretary to CM of Gujarat Shri Narendra Modi Ji. I got immensely educated as a person and empowered as an officer by sheer closeness to him. In addition, he made me more capable by appointing me Managing Director of Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb) – The Industrial & Investment promotion arm of Gujarat Government. Major task of iNDEXTb is to promote investments by making interventions right from ground level to apex level.
In that manner, between 2001 and 2006, I was also in-charge of Investment Promotion & Investor Facilitation in Gujarat State. In particular:
- We made online systems to help iNDEXTb to become a widely reachable agency with lot of information on the issue of investment & enterprise;
- We created a single window system so that entrepreneurs may feel comfortable dealing with the State Government;
- Started a campaign-based investment promotion exercise: Vibrant Gujarat event.
I was a key driver in conceiving and executing Shree Narendra Modi’s vision of the famous campaign & event-based investment promotion experiment of Vibrant Gujarat: ‘India’s Davos’- as Modi ji fondly called it. We started it in 2003. Over the years, it has become a truly global event which no Global CEO wants to miss. Also, the heads of Governments and States are invited to grace the event. My association with Vibrant Gujarat events continued till I was in Government Service.
Infrastructure Development
After completing a Master’s Course in Public Policy from ANU-Australia in 2006, I returned to Shree Narendra Modi’s CM office once again.
This time, I was made CEO of Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) which is chaired by the Chief Minister. We worked hard and as a result, GIDB was repeatedly adjudged the MOST Admired Infrastructure Development Agency of the Country.
As CEO, GIDB (2006-2014), in addition to shaping the policy and execution roadmap of a robust Road, Rail and Port infrastructure of Gujarat, I played a leadership role in many mega developments including the following:
- National projects like Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (Western DFC);
- Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) & Industrial/Investment Regions;
- Metro Rail Project in Ahmedabad & Gandhinagar and Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) of Ahmedabad;
- Auto Hubs & Industrial areas at Sanand & Bechara ji: which are housing Tata Nano, Ford & Suzuki car plants;
- Shaping of Special Investment Regions (SIRs), specially at Dholera;
- Shaping of New International Airport at Dholera, Gujarat;
- Bus Stations, Roads, Ports, Railways, Logistics Parks & Tourist spaces on PPP mode.
We drafted the SIR Act, 2009 of Gujarat and piloted the setting up of new Industrial areas & Investment Regions in the State, the most notable being the Dholera SIR. Many other states followed the SIR Act of Gujarat for setting up such Industrial regions.
We worked towards making Gujarat the ‘Second home of Japanese’. Thus, came Suzuki car maker with its global manufacturing facility and a number of Japanese SMEs in Gujarat. Cars made here are being exported worldwide including Japan itself. Similar is the story of Tata Nano and Ford motors. Canadian company Bombardier was enabled to start operations in no time and since then, the Metro Coaches manufactured by them are being exported worldwide. Similar is the story of Korean company Samsung in NOIDA, who expanded their factory to export mobile phones to the entire world!
At National level, I recall the passion of our Prime Minister, Shree Narendra Modi Ji for taking the country out of some chronic problems. He resolved Gujarat’s water problem for ever. Similarly, here also, he led us to work towards that goal. Today, I can say with satisfaction that we are out of some of those problems.
They include: (A few examples out of those where I was personally involved)
- Country’s dream of 24x7 Electricity for everyone in all parts of the country;
- Country’s dream of Total Electrification and Quality Supply is achieved;
- Country’s dream of Bank Accounts for all is achieved - Jan Dhan Yojna;
- Country’s dream of Fast Trains up to 120-150 km per hour is a reality;
- Country’s dream of Cleanliness in trains and platforms is realized;
- Country’s dream of improvement in Ease of Doing Business is appreciated;
- Country’s dream of Enhancing Coal Production/Reducing Imports is achieved;
- Country’s dream of high achievement in Renewable Energy is a global story;
- Country’s dream of High-Speed Rail (300 km/hour) is on its way to reality.