MahaSTRIDE project launched for district-level growth in state

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has launched MahaSTRIDE, a new initiative aimed at making the state a $1 trillion economy in the next five years.

The launch was held at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Mihan in Nagpur district in the presence of top officials and representatives from the World Bank.

The Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) will play a major role in the execution of the project.

“The World Bank-assisted MahaSTRIDE project will be a key milestone in our mission to make Maharashtra a US $1 trillion economy,” Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Over the past 5 years, Maharashtra’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has reached Rs 45 lakh crore. However, it is concerning that nearly 50% of this contribution comes from just 7 districts.

"This imbalance must be addressed. Our vision demands that every district becomes a growth engine. Through MahaSTRIDE, each district will now be treated as an independent economic unit with its own District Strategic Plan, backed by real-time data, resource mapping, and performance benchmarks. We aim to grow the state’s GSDP by Rs 35 lakh crore in the next 5 years, and this will only be possible when all districts contribute actively and equitably,” Fadnavis said.

A GDP clock at Mantralaya will track this journey in real-time measuring how each district is progressing, and where course correction is needed.

“Ease of doing business, private investment, and data-driven decision-making will be central to this transformation. We must build an ecosystem where governance enables, not obstructs, where entrepreneurs feel empowered, not encumbered. MahaSTRIDE will give every district the wings to fly. Now it's up to each of us to ensure that potential turns into performance, and aspirations into achievement,” said Fadnavis.