Infrastructure development along with renewed investments in various industrial projects will take Maharashtra to the number one position in the country again, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday. He said the state would march ahead of neighboring Gujarat.
While acknowledging that Mumbai has faced competition from metros like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Fadnavis exuded optimism that both Mumbai and Maharashtra will emerge as the chosen destinations for investors.
“The mega infrastructure projects which we have set in motion, coupled with investments, will make Maharashtra the number one state in the country by 2026,” he said.
Fadnavis spoke on a wide range of subjects, from the state’s economy, agriculture, and infrastructure to the controversial ‘love jihad’.
Fadnavis said the government was determined to launch the oil refinery project at Barsu in Konkan and build Vadhavan port at Dahanu in Palghar district. “This will transform the face of Maharashtra,” he said.
“A proposal regarding the use of Mumbai Port Trust land for the development of Mumbai has been pending with the state government for a long time. Mumbai Port Trust has to be recognized as a planning authority. But this proposal was not approved considering the relationship between the state and the Centre during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. A committee was appointed to consider it. Two of them agreed to the proposal, while one member opposed it. But our government has decided to recognize Mumbai Port Trust as a planning authority. It will provide a large amount of land for the development of Mumbai,” said Fadnavis.
“The government has given priority to the Vadhavan port project near Dahanu in Palghar and the oil refinery project in Konkan. The proposed oil refinery project at Nanar was… opposed. The project is now planned to be set up at Barsu instead of Nanar. As there was no decision regarding the project during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, it was planned to divide the project… but now the state government has discussed the issue with the stakeholders. The earlier planned production capacity and huge investment project are going to be realized in full capacity,” he said, adding that land acquisition for the project was almost complete and further tests were underway. On the Vadhavan port, Fadnavis said, “Necessary decisions have been taken to resolve the environmental issues pertaining to the land in the Dahanu development area next to this project.”