Maha lagging behind K’taka, Gujarat: Cong

Of the total Mous signed during Make In India, 50% have been realised, while 50% of Mous signed during Magnetic Maharashtra in 2018 are on the verge of realisation. SUBHASH DESAI, Maharashtra industries minister

MUMBAI: The Congress on Tuesday slammed the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government for faring poorly in garnering industrial investment when compared with Karnataka and Gujarat.

Citing the latest report by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), state Congress chief Ashok Chavan said that while Karnataka and Gujarat managed to bring in industrial investments worth ₹83,236 crore and ₹59,089 crore respectively until September 2018 of the current financial year, Maharashtra managed to attract only ₹46,428 crore in the same period.

Quoting the same report, Chavan said that of total industrial investment in the country, Maharashtra registered only 9.28% in 2016;12.29 % in 2017; and 13.71% in 2018.

In comparison, Karnataka attracted 37.55%, 38.48% and 24.58 % of the country’s total industrial investment in the same period.

Citing these figures, Chavan said the investments announced in the state under the Bjp-led government through memorandums of understanding (MOU) under the Make In India and Magnetic Maharashtra schemes did not materialise.

Industries minister Subhash Desai, while admitting to the comparative drop in investments within Maharashtra, said the absolute number of projects coming to the state is more than that of Karnataka or Gujarat.

“Of the total Mous signed during Make In India, 50% have been realised, while 50% of the Mous signed during Magnetic Maharashtra in 2018 are on the verge of realisation,” he said. “Our endeavour would improve the investment in the remaining six months of the fiscal,” Desai said.

Chavan also alleged there were systematic attempts to divert investments to Gujarat. “Besides the bullet train to Ahmedabad, even new flights and airports are being announced for Gujarat instead of Maharashtra,” he pointed out.

The state industries minister also attacked the Maharashtra government for failing to disburse loans to 22,890 borrowers under the Stand Up India scheme. He claimed the banks loaned money to only 3,430 borrowers — less than 15% of the target set by them.