<p>India’s public policy think-tank NITI Aayog has praised the Maharashtra government’s overall handling of the Covid-19 situation. </p>.<p>A delegation of NITI Aayog comprising vice-chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, member Ramesh Chand and chief executive officer Amitabh Kant called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, during which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolios and state revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, chief secretary Sitaram Kunte were present. </p>.<p>During the meeting, 41 issues concerning the state were discussed. </p>.<p>“Maharashtra government has performed well in controlling the Covid-19 infection,” Kumar told the meeting on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Thackeray told the delegation that since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic the state government has focussed on beefing up the health infrastructure. “However, if the third wave hits us, we would have to continue to increase health infrastructure and for this Centre’s support would be needed,” he said. </p>.<p>The state’s push for electric vehicles (EVs) was also praised by the central agency. </p>.<p>Environment, protocol and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray gave a presentation on the EV Policy which earned appreciation as a good step from Kant for the “state’s vision for the future”.<br />Among the issues that figured in the meeting are making the availability of land for construction of the Mumbai Metro depot at Kanjurmarg, acquisition of 45 acres of land from the Railways for the Dharavi redevelopment project, expansion of the Pune, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur metro rails, the Pune-Nashik double-railway. </p>.<p>Thackeray pointed out that the GST refund to the state has reached Rs. 30,000-crore and will soon touch Rs.50,000-crore, and though the Centre earned revenues through the increased cess on petrol and diesel, it did not benefit the state. </p>.<p>The Centre will provide Rs. 3,000-crore for the development of the Dighi Port Industrial Area as part of the plan to set up a new city here under a SPV, said Kant.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest DH videos here:</strong><br /><br /></p>
<p>India’s public policy think-tank NITI Aayog has praised the Maharashtra government’s overall handling of the Covid-19 situation. </p>.<p>A delegation of NITI Aayog comprising vice-chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, member Ramesh Chand and chief executive officer Amitabh Kant called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, during which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolios and state revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, chief secretary Sitaram Kunte were present. </p>.<p>During the meeting, 41 issues concerning the state were discussed. </p>.<p>“Maharashtra government has performed well in controlling the Covid-19 infection,” Kumar told the meeting on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Thackeray told the delegation that since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic the state government has focussed on beefing up the health infrastructure. “However, if the third wave hits us, we would have to continue to increase health infrastructure and for this Centre’s support would be needed,” he said. </p>.<p>The state’s push for electric vehicles (EVs) was also praised by the central agency. </p>.<p>Environment, protocol and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray gave a presentation on the EV Policy which earned appreciation as a good step from Kant for the “state’s vision for the future”.<br />Among the issues that figured in the meeting are making the availability of land for construction of the Mumbai Metro depot at Kanjurmarg, acquisition of 45 acres of land from the Railways for the Dharavi redevelopment project, expansion of the Pune, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur metro rails, the Pune-Nashik double-railway. </p>.<p>Thackeray pointed out that the GST refund to the state has reached Rs. 30,000-crore and will soon touch Rs.50,000-crore, and though the Centre earned revenues through the increased cess on petrol and diesel, it did not benefit the state. </p>.<p>The Centre will provide Rs. 3,000-crore for the development of the Dighi Port Industrial Area as part of the plan to set up a new city here under a SPV, said Kant.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest DH videos here:</strong><br /><br /></p>
