Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis promises full development of Vidarbha

NAGPUR: Clarifying the opposition's charges on Mihan project, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said it had so far offered employment to 80,000 persons. Of these, 35,100 were direct and 47,000 indirect recruitments.
Replying to the discussion on backwardness of Vidarbha, Marathwada and other regions in assembly, Fadnavis said under Mihan’s special economic zone (SEZ), land parcels were allotted for 49 projects. Of them, 15 started their production, 11 projects were under construction, 14 new companies were recently allotted and two were cancelled.
“Mihan’s biggest challenge was its connectivity with ports through which we can connect to other markets. Now with Samruddhi Expressway, the connectivity has been established. Airport modernization is an important phase of Mihan. We are resolving issues related to it within a couple of months. A case was underway in the Supreme Court. After its modernization, the Mihan project would get further boost. The proposed railway cargo terminal would make Mihan a truly multimodal cargo hub in the future,” he said.
Asking MPCC president Nana Patole to prove that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had brought even a single project in Mihan in their two and half years regime, Fadnavis said no progress was made on the industrial front too. “Even when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak, the neighbouring states like Gujarat and Karnataka received the highest investments. The Patanjali project on which you raise a query, would start its first phase in January. They had already brought the entire machinery.”
To a query on lack of investment in Amravati, the deputy CM said the BJP-Shiv Sena government in 2014-19 had started a textile park at Nandgaon Peth as a part of farm to fashion concept. “Earlier, this district was known only for power generation. Today, there is no place left in Amravati for setting up new textile industries. We are now acquiring additional areas to establish an integrated textile park. A complete ecosystem would be created there where not only yarn would be made, but readymade garments would also be made available.”
Launching a counterattack against leader of opposition Ajit Pawar, who had spoken about precarious conditions of district cooperative banks in Vidarbha, Fadnavis questioned him on who was controlling those.
“Some of those banks were run by your (MVA) leaders. Those were hit by big scams where crores were siphoned off that led to their closure. The cases are underway in the courts. You made Vidarbha’s banks weak and that indirectly abetted farmer suicides. As the district banks could not prove loans to farmers, they approached private lenders who do not provide money easily. We made efforts to restore banks, but it is not possible as the asset depletion had taken place in a big way during your tenure.”
Responding to senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s question that Samriddhi Highway was allotted land but the government did not give any land for the hostels of backward class students, the deputy CM said the MVA leaders should ask this question to themselves. “Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar was the OBC minister and Bhujbal should ask this question to him.”
Concluding his reply, Fadnavis said no stone will be left unturned for development of Vidarbha and Marathwada. “Our government is determined for all round development. We will not allow a single rupee to fall short in the development of both regions and are committed to all-round development.”