Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said that the state government would approve a Rs 800 crore CIDCO tourism development draft for Chikhaldara in a month's time to boost tourism at the hill station.
He said that this would be done to give a short in the arm to tourism in Chikhaldara as the place has great potential for it.
"We will convert Chikhaldara into the best tourist place," he said at a function here.
Fadnavis further said that various developmental works were being undertaken in the state and with the help of Microsoft, Harisal in Melghat was being developed as the first digital village in the state.
"50 such villages would be developed in the state," he added.
At the function, Union Minister for Highways Nitin Gadkari performed the bhoomipujan of the roads to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 9,931 crore.
Fadnavis said road network played an important role in development.
"We have taken Nagpur-Mumbai super express way work in hand. From any district of Vidarbha, it would now be possible to reach the express way within half an hour. This would enable Vidarbha farmers to export their produce besides helping in other developmental activities. The farmers whose land is being acquired for this project would draw its benefits for straight 15 years.
"In a way, there would a partnership of farmers in this way," the Chief Minister said, adding the said work cost Rs 30,000 crore and by 2019 it would gain pace.
The Chief Minister said his government was ensuring that no part of Vidarbha would remain neglected.
"If the farmer commands market, he will be the king, otherwise only the brokers benefit," he said.
According to the Chief Minister, his government was trying to lay emphasis on agro-based industry and farmers' market in Vidarbha.
"It was our firm stance that cotton processing industries should be in Vidarbha only. As such, within some days 8-9 industries have come to Nandgaon peth. Seven more industries have demanded land here. In next four years, there would be space available for accommodating new industries.
"Since the industries are agro-based they would benefit
the farmers, but along with them, 25,000 youths too would get employment there," he said.
The CM said that his government believed that if water was made available to farmers they would create miracles.
"As such, we have decided not to rely on rainwater but to make assured water available to farmers. Jalyukta Shivar Yojana is a part of that effort," he said.
The Chief Minister informed that an orange processing unit at Morshi and dairy processing unit at Bhandara-Gondia would be set up soon and said emphasis would also be laid on making basic facilities available to farmers for marketing.
Gadkari said through the National Highways Authority and Central Road Fund project, the work of creating a road network in Vidarbha has been undertaken on a large scale as it was necessary to boost the development of the region.
He informed that the state had only 6,384 kms long national highway but in last one year, national highways of 12,316 kms length were created.
He said that in five years time, roads worth Rs 2 lakh crore would be built in Maharashtra alone.
