'Maharashtra topped states on FDI equity inflow, Gujarat at third position': Congress hits back at Fadnavis

MUMBAI: The Congress on Saturday said Maharashtra topped the state-wise Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflow from October 2019 till June this year while Gujarat remained at the third spot.

Citing a report by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), state Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant questioned state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim on Friday that Maharashtra fell behind Gujarat in attracting FDI when Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was in power (from November 2019 to June 2022).

The Opposition has been blaming the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government over Gujarat pipping Maharashtra to win a mega semiconductor project of Vedanta-Foxconn.

"When we are already on the top, how are you going to take us further?" Sawant asked targetting Fadnavis.

As per Revised Estimates, Maharashtra's GSDP in 2021-22 was Rs 31,97,000 crore while that of Gujarat was Rs 19,44,107 crore, he tweeted.

"Gujarat is not in Pakistan. It is our brother. This is a healthy competition. We want to get ahead of Karnataka, everyone," Fadnavis had said after the semiconductor project went to the neighbouring state.

"Unfortunately, in the last two years our position slipped and Gujarat topped the list and it went from USD 3 billion to USD 23 billion and investment in Maharashtra came down from USD 26 billion to USD 18 billion," the deputy CM had said.