Mumbai: The state govt on Thursday launched its global apex investment authority—Invest Maharashtra—with MoUs worth Rs 8.5 lakh crore and a promise of 2.91 lakh jobs.Noel Tata of Tata Sons was present along with industrialists Prashant Ruia, Pranav Adani and Geetanjali Kirloskar, among others. Deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar was present along with industry minister Uday Samant and senior bureaucrats. Ministers Ashish Shelar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha were present too, while deputy CM Eknath Shinde did not attend.The major investments are in data centres, ITES and semiconductor sectors. Around 66 companies have signed MoUs for investment in Maharashtra. The maximum investment is of Rs 1 lakh crore in Navi Mumbai and Pune from Akshat Greentech. The others include Sterlite group, which will invest in digital infrastructure and semiconductor in Shahpur and Khalapur; Shyam Metalics and Energy Ltd in a metal and mining project in Chandrapur; Pi-Semicon, which will set up a semiconductor facility in Nashik; Astracity, which will set up a data centre project in Ratnagiri.The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) unveiled its Existing Land Use plan for Mumbai 3 and 4 spread over 2,100 sq km. An MoU was also signed for a 5,700-acre Knowledge City in the proposed Mumbai 3.0 (Navi Mumbai-Raigad region).Reiterating the goal of a US$1 trillion economy by 2030, CM Devendra Fadnavis urged industries to bring small businesses into the supply chain and create a wider circle of prosperity. Fadnavis assured every help, saying, “Bring us the project, tell us what you need. To the govt depts: Take ownership, follow through, identify difficulties, bring depts together.”On the drought situation in Maharashtra, Fadnavis asked industries to contribute generously to the CM relief fund and to give their expertise for water conservation.
