State preferred FDI destination; contributes 14 per cent to national GDP: Guv

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Monday said the state is a preferred destination for foreign direct investment FDI and contributes more than 14 per cent to the countrys gross domestic product GDPThe governor addressing the joint session of the state legislature on the first day of the budget session asserted that Maharashtra was one of the leading industrial states in the countryHe said the state government has signed memoranda of understanding MoUs worth approximately Rs 1572 lakh crore with 63 national and international companies during the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland in January and these investments will generate more than 15 lakh employment opportunitiesRadhakrishnan said the state government is committed to resolving the MaharashtraKarnataka border dispute and has appointed expert advocates to represent Maharashtra before the Supreme CourtMaharashtra is a preferred destination for FDI and contributes more than 14 per cent to the countrys GDP the governor saidHe noted that the state government plans to disburse an investment promotion subsidy of about Rs 5000 crore to industries in Maharashtra to attract investments foster industrial growth and generate employment opportunitiesRadhakrishnan said the government through the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has decided to allot approximately 3500 acres of land to support and encourage industrialisation and will notify 10000 acres for industrial purposesHe further said that the government plans to develop 10 integrated industrial parks and integrated logistics parks to enhance industrial growth improve supply chain efficiency and create a worldclass business ecosystemThe government has approved the launch of the Maharashtra Technical Textiles Mission to strengthen and expand the textile sector the governor saidHe said more than 132 lakh youths have been trained under the Chief Minister Yuva Karya Prashikshan Scheme which aims to increase the employability and provide skilled manpower to industriesThe government has set a target to train 10 lakh youths in 202425 and has allocated Rs 5500 crore for this he addedRadhakrishnan said the government organised 611 Pandit Deendayal job fairs in districts across Maharashtra in 202425 and more than 19000 candidates have secured jobsSpeaking about infrastructure development the governor said the government will construct the NagpurGoa Shaktipeeth Expressway which will connect major religious and pilgrimage sites on the routeThe expressway will reduce travel time and foster economic growth in the region It will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 86300 crore he saidThe government has also decided to implement the Ram Kal Path project in Nashik to preserve the regions Ramayanalinked heritage and transform it into a pilgrimage destination he saidHe further said the government is dedicated to effectively implementing Nagarotthan Mahabhiyan which aims to complete ongoing projects for water supply sewerage and development in urban areas in two yearsThe governor said MoUs have been signed with 13 agencies for electricity storage and grid stability by implementing pumped storage projects on a PPP basis for 38 projectsHe said these projects will generate 55970 megawatts of power and Maharashtra is expected to receive an investment of Rs 295 lakh crore and create more than 90000 employment opportunitiesThe government has installed 312 lakh solar irrigation pumps as part of the Magel Tyala Saur Pump Yojana under which 10 lakh solar pumps will be provided to farmers in five years he saidRadhakrishnan said Maharashtra has set the target to become the first state in the country to solarise all agriculture feeders under the PMKUSUM and Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini schemes and 119 feeders with a combined solar power capacity of 147 MW have been commissioned in nine monthsIn the housing sector the government is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban in 409 urban clusters More than two lakh houses have been constructed and work is underway for more than 185 lakh houses he saidHe said more than 1264 lakh houses have been built in the first phase of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin while more than 1681 lakh houses will be constructed in phase IIThe governor said the state government has launched the Agristack scheme to facilitate speedy and effective delivery of government schemes to farmers using digital servicesHe said the government has selected more than 95 lakh farmers as beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sanman Yojana and more than 87 lakh farmers have been provided Kisan credit cardsThe government has set a crop loan disbursement target of Rs 74781 crore in 202425 and Rs 55334 crore has been disbursed to farmers through banks he saidTalking about crop procurements under the minimum support price scheme the government has procured 1121385 tonnes of soybean through 562 centres in 202425 and during the Kharif marketing season it purchased more than 7 lakh tonnes of paddy and 171 tonnes of coarse grainThe governor said the government has launched the Maharashtra cyber security project equipped with cuttingedge technology skilled manpower and resources in Mhape Navi Mumbai to help police personnel investigate cyber crimesWith inputs from PTI