Maha govt signs huge MoUs with companies in 8 months; 90 pc of firms already allotted land: Aditya

The Maharashtra government has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth several thousand crores with companies in the past eight months and 90 per cent of the firms have got land and the work on it will start soon, state minister Aditya Thackeray said on Friday.

The Maharashtra government has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth several thousand crores with companies in the past eight months and 90 per cent of the firms have got land and the work on it will start soon, state minister Aditya Thackeray said on Friday. Thackeray, who is the state's environment, forests and tourism minister, said the state government's move to declare over 800 acre of Aarey land is a huge move for carbon neutrality.

He was speaking at the 'Global Young Leaders Summit – Youth Icons: Inspiring New Generations', a virtual conference organised by FICCI Today's youth leadership must emphasise on quality education and ensure that it reaches to the last person in the society, Thackeray added. "The MoUs that we have signed in June were worth Rs 70,000 crore in Maharashtra. The MoUs signed in early November are of about Rs 35,000 crore and now, as we work ahead, (there are) another Rs 35,000-40,000 crore (of MoUs) that we will sign by December," the 30-year-old Shiv Sena leader said.

He added that 90 per cent of the companies that are investing in Maharashtra have got land allocated, permissions done and will start work soon. "None of these are MoUs on paper." He stressed that the government has not just looked at the industrial sector but also at the environment. "You must have heard...Aarey...808 acre in a city like Mumbai to be declared a forest with all the thriving bio-diversity and all the endemic species that exist in Aarey.

"I think it is a huge move for carbon neutrality and the green growth along with the industrial growth. So, we have industries coming in and we have the environment being protected," he said. Aarey is a forested patch along the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The earlier BJP government had decided to construct a Metro car shed project there but the decision was rescinded after the Shiv Sena-led government with NCP and Congress as partners was formed. The patch was later declared as forest.

There has been an intense war of words between the BJP and the Shiv Sena over the decision to relocate the Metro car shed. Thackeray said in terms of tourism and hospitality, a major boost has been given to the sector in the past one month.

"We had 70 application forms to set up a hotel or a restaurant, 70 licences and 15 NOCs (no-objection certificates) required for different departments," he said. Thackeray added that within a month, the government has brought down from 70 applications to eight applications, 70 licences to 10 licences and 15 NoCs to nine NoCs. "This is where we are encouraging the service sector, the industrial sector and the environment." PTI PR HRS

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