Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan promised measures today to ensure the state retained its first position as the destination for foreign direct investment (FDI).
At a meet organised by Ernst & Young, he said Maharashtra received 37 per cent of India’s total FDI. To boost this, and in the face of tough competition from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, the government would provide all clearances online by upgrading its single-window mechanism, he said.
Also, it would gradually convert Special Economic Zones (SEZs), many of which have been sanctioned but are not not taking off, into industrial townships. Chavan said investors would have no problems onland availability, as about 27,000 hectares would be released from SEZs in this manner.
Adding: "The government will provide substantial compensation during land acquisition. In the case of the Navi Mumbai international airport project, affected persons will be given compensation in kind, which will be a portion of developed land and not cash compensation. A similar formula can be replicated in other cases,” he said.
At the outset, he said upgradation of Mumbai's infrastructure was a challenge but the government was addressing the issue in diverse ways. "The government has launched a massive makeover programme for Mumbai — metro rail, mono rail, ring road, sea link and coastal roads. The mono rail will be complete by the end of this year, while the metro phase-I will be operational early next year. Metro phase-III will be underground," he said.
On the 9,990 Mw Jaitapur nuclear power project, Chavan said it had received environmental clearance and the government was prepared to provide additional compensation to those displaced. "The development will kick off after the project developer, the Nuclear Power Corporation and French reactor supplier Areva complete their ongoing negotiations. The project will provide clean power to the state," he added.
On the current political scenario, Chavan said he was worried over fractured mandates, effectively limitating reforms and related programmes.
He made a strong case for a decisive mandate.
On the recent riots in Mumbai, he said the police was looking into the involvement of outside elements. On the verbal bashing of Bihari immigrants by the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the CM said it was a part of competitive politics. "However, the state government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands. Instead, the government will do everything to maintain law and order and harmony," he promised.
