Maharashtra is on track to become the first state in the country to reach a trillion-dollar economy, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari said on the 62nd anniversary of the state’s formation in Mumbai on May 1. Mr. Koshyari spoke at an event in Mumbai’s Dadar neighborhood, where he unfurled the national flag.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was also present, and the two were seen exchanging greetings after previously criticizing each other on various issues. Mr. Koshyari stated that Maharashtra has set an example for the rest of the country by effectively combating the three waves of COVID-19. He claims that more than 92 percent of the adult population in the state has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Despite the fact that we were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state did not allow any obstacles to obstruct its progress and development.” Maharashtra is on track to become the first state in the country to reach a trillion-dollar economy, he said.
Maharashtra’s ranking second in the country in the Niti Aayog’s export
The Governor expressed his delight at Maharashtra’s ranking second in the country in the Niti Aayog’s export preparedness index. He also mentioned that Maharashtra is ranked second in the Centre’s ‘Good Governance Index report – 2021.’
“My government’s policy on electric vehicles is comprehensive, and it has already begun to be implemented in the state.” The number of electric vehicles registered in Maharashtra has increased by 157 percent over the previous year, according to the Governor.
According to him, the state government has also decided to provide property tax rebates to citizens and housing societies that install EV charging stations.
To encourage the use of environmentally friendly natural gas, the VAT on CNG has been reduced from 13.5 percent to 3%. The Governor stated, “This will provide relief to the citizens.”
He said the government is planning a 2,500-acre bulk drug park in Raigad district, which is located along the Delhi-Mumbai corridor. He also mentioned that a medical equipment park has been planned for the Auric Smart City in Aurangabad, which spans 350 acres. According to him, the government is promoting waterways for passengers to relieve congestion on roads and railway lines, and a water taxi service has been launched from Belapur in Navi Mumbai to Mumbai, Elephanta, and JNPT.
“My government has made a number of decisions to promote air travel. Flights are departing from Sindhudurg [Chipi], Nanded, Gondia, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, and Nashik airports. “By the end of December 2021, more than 10 lakh passengers had traveled by air from Shirdi airport,” he said.
Mr. Koshyari stated that the government is speeding up the construction of Metro projects in order to improve Mumbai’s public transportation system. “The phases of Mumbai Metro lines 2A and 7 have been pressed into service,” he said, adding that “work on 14 other Metro projects is moving at a faster pace.”
Mr. Koshyari also mentioned that key projects such as the redevelopment of BDD Chawls and coastal roads in Mumbai, as well as the capacity expansion of the Mumbai-Pune express highway, have gained traction. “The Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg is almost finished and will be partially open for transportation soon,” he said.
According to him, 4.75 lakh houses have been built in rural areas under the Maha Aawas scheme. To boost non-conventional power generation, the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company will build 187 and 390 MW solar power projects, he said. He also said that under the Chief Minister Solar Agriculture Pump scheme, 99,852 solar agriculture pumps have been installed out of a target of one lakh.
The Governor also announced that 43 Amrit cities across the state have joined the ‘race to zero’ initiative to become carbon neutral. He said the State Government is following up with the Centre on the issue of giving Marathi a classical language tag “as soon as possible.”
The preservation of forts and fortresses, as well as ancient temples, has been prioritized in the state, and the government recently decided to give land in Navi Mumbai to Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam for the construction of Venkateshwara temple, he said.
“In addition to tiger conservation efforts in the state, my government has prioritized the establishment of new conservation reserves and biodiversity heritage sites in Maharashtra.” It has been noted that, in addition to the state’s green cover, the mangrove forests have grown,” he added.