Maharashtra banks on Davos meet to attract investments

At a time when there are allegations and counter-allegations over two big ticket investments being moved from Maharashtra to Gujarat, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is set to fly to Davos during which MoUs to the tune of Rs 1.40 lakh crore would be signed.

Shinde will lead a 20-member delegation from Maharashtra to the Swiss Alps ski resort town of Davos for attending the World Economic Forum between January 16-20.

Shinde’s back-to-back meetings in Switzerland the WEF on January 16-17 comes just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s January 19 visit to Mumbai where he will inaugurate, commission, dedicate and announce several projects in India’s financial capital.

Shinde will leave for Zurich on January 15 and inaugurate the Maharashtra Pavilion in Davos on January 16.

The pavilion will showcase Maharashtra’s achievements which include metro projects, the Coastal Road Project, Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Highway, the longest tunnel for the Mumbai-Pune missing link, use of electric vehicles in public transport, and steps taken for the protection of the environment.

Shinde will address challenges posed by the changing climatic conditions to the development of cities and environment-friendly sustainable development.

Around 150 dignitaries from various sectors like industries, politics and others are invited for a dinner during which a few central ministers will also join this special Maharashtrian feast.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Finance and Planning Minister, who too was expected to go, will stay back to oversee the arrangements for the PM’s Mumbai visit.

At Davos, the focus will be given to sharing the strengths of "Magnetic Maharashtra," with the world and attracting investment in the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena alliance government is facing attacks from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for several mega projects being moved out of Maharashtra including the Vedanta Foxconn semiconductor project and Tata-Airbus defence aircraft manufacturing venture which has been shifted to neighbouring Gujarat. However, the BJP-BSS government has blamed the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government for not showing proper interest in the projects and following up on the meetings.

The delegation will include Chief Secretary Manukumar Srivastava, Additional Chief Secretary (Chief Minister’s Office) Bhushan Gagrani, Principal Secretary (Industries) Harshdeep Kamble, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation CEO Vipin Sharma.

The MVA, however, has targeted the Shinde-Fadnavis government. “The government is not at all serious about investments and jobs in Maharashtra, it is an unconstitutional and illegal government,” Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said.

“Shinde should declare beforehand how much investment he will be bringing in for the state and how many jobs will be created in Maharashtra,” NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said.