The total worth of infrastructure projects in Mumbai is Rs. 50,000 crore, comprising the Bandra-Worli sea-link, the ongoing work on the metro rail, monorail, skywalks and flyovers.
These are all part of “ambitious schemes” aimed at bringing about the transformation of Mumbai into a world class city, Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan said in his Republic Day address at Shivaji Park here on Tuesday.
In his first ceremonial speech after taking charge, Mr. Sankaranarayanan put his finger on the State’s industrial and economic pulse.
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“Maharashtra continues to be the most favoured investment destination in the country. The State succeeded in attracting 53 per cent of foreign direct investment in the last financial year. In spite of the economic slowdown, 38 new mega projects have committed investment worth Rs. 28,000 crore, in the first nine months of the current financial year itself. [Maharashtra has] 146 Special Economic Zones [SEZs] spread across the State, the highest in the country, approved by the Central government. These SEZs, with an aggregate investment of Rs.1,88,738 crore, are expected to generate 65 lakh employment opportunities.”
By 2012, the State would achieve self-sufficiency in power.
To tackle the acute lack of affordable housing in the city, Mr. Sankaranarayanan said the State government had launched “a programme to build 10 lakh houses for the poor and middle-income groups in the next two years.”
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In terms of modernisation, the overhauled infrastructure of the Mumbai police force, post-26/11, was on display at the parade.
To the marching salutes by the Indian Navy, the Central Industrial Security Force, the State Reserve Police Force, the Mumbai Armed Police, the Mumbai Riot Control Police, the Mumbai Railway Police, the Home Guards, the Mumbai Women Police, the Mumbai Traffic Police, the Sea Cadets Corps (Girls and Boys), the Road Safety Patrol (Boys and Girls), Bharat Scouts and Guides, the new equipment of the Mumbai police was added.