Shri Devendra Fadnavis Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra in a meeting on Resurgent India-Maharashtra leads the way

‘Maharashtra will be drought-proof in five years’, CM Devendra Fadnavis 

Maharashtra’s huge infrastructure thrust including Trans Harbour Link, Coastal road, new Airport at Navi Mumbai, multi-modal transport for Mumbai city set to transform lives through jobs and incomes  

 by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai. May 12, 2016: Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Hon’ble Shri Devendra Fadnavis, asserted that the State is witnessing a paradigm shift from drought-related relief and rehabilitation work to one of investment in real assets for water conservation for long-term benefits.

“We have created water storage facilities for six lakh hectares in just one year”, the CM pointed out adding that the State government is in talks with the World Bank on agricultural projects that would transform the landscape.

He was speaking at the meeting organized by Indian Merchants’ Chamber on ‘Resurgent India: Maharashtra leads the way’, here today. “We will make Maharashtra drought proof in five years”, Mr. Fadnavis told the IMC members adding that the State is indeed creating structures to conserve water through various programs including watershed development, distributed water structures and so on.

Talking about the need to link farm with secondary and tertiary sectors, the CM said the State has created a value chain for cotton that goes from farm to fashion. Maharashtra is the country’s second largest cotton producer. “An Apparel Park is being considered for ensuring further value addition”, he added. On ease of doing business, the CM pointed out that the ‘license raj’ was coming to an end with the introduction of electronic platform. Infrastructure development has become a thrust area for the State. Giving time line for various infrastructure projects, the CM said, “All permissions for Trans Harbour Link have been received in the last one year and work order will be issued before October 31”.

In the same vein, Navi Mumbai airport, coastal road project, elevated corridors for Mumbai have also received appropriate clearances. Contracts will be awarded and work will start before the end of the year, according to him. Port-led development is another area the CM highlighted. A 800 km Nagpur-Mumbai Communication Superhighway will help connect the State’s 20 districts with ports like JNPT, he pointed out.            

Earlier, welcoming the Chief Minister, Mr. Dilip Piramal, IMC President remarked that under the dynamic leadership of the CM, Maharashtra continues to make rapid strides in the field of economic growth and social development. The state has facilitated ‘Ease of doing Business’ and the results are showing.

The State has attracted large investment including overseas investments, the highest in the country. Maharashtra remains a premier industrial state contributing to 15% of national GDP. Most socio-economic indicators are robust. Labour reforms, infrastructure development are all progressive steps which are likely to contribute to an even more vibrant economy, Mr. Piramal added. On behalf of IMC, the CM felicitated and gave away citations to two Emerging Manufacturing Giants of Maharashtra namely Varroc Group and Endurance Technologies, both of which have carved a special niche in automotive components in the competitive marketplace.

IMC is a century old chamber of commerce for promotion of trade, industry and commerce. It has 2,700 direct members and over 220 trade associations as associates though which the chamber reaches well over 220,000 business establishments in various fields of business.