The Annual Plan for Maharashtra for 2010-11 was on Thursday finalised at Rs. 42,000 crore at a meeting here between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
In his initial remarks, Mr. Ahluwalia lauded the State's efforts to improve the pace of development and making the growth process more inclusive.
Commendable efforts
Especially commendable, he said, were its efforts in not allowing resource constraints to come in the way of development through imaginative use of public-private partnership (PPP) in major projects.
Mr. Ahluwalia said the government's performance in sectors such as agriculture, health and transport was appreciable. Its new initiatives such as the human development mission for select districts and master plan for health infrastructure also came in for appreciation.
On Maharashtra's economic performance, Mr. Ahluwalia noted that during the period 2004-05 to 2009-10 the State's income had grown at 11.5 per cent, with the industrial sector, comprising mining, manufacturing, construction, electricity, gas and water supply, growing at the rate of 12.1 per cent. Maharashtra, he said, continues to occupy the foremost position in the country in respect of its share in factory employment.
As for foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals, a total of 4,175 projects with an investment of about Rs. 83,779 crore have been approved for the State, of which 1,665 have already been commissioned. Between August 2001 and August 2010, a total of 16,140 projects involving an investment of Rs. 6,95,516 crore were taken up in the State and are in different stages of implementation. Of these, 6,657 projects have already started production.
‘Focus attention on MSME sector'
The Commission advised the State Government to focus greater attention on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector, and underlined the need to create a sound policy environment to meet the growing challenges of globalisation.
It mentioned the need to set up an advisory board at the State level and called for a separate policy for tiny and micro enterprises to encourage small-sector growth. There is need to extend comprehensive marketing support through project sub-contracting promotion policy for linkage between small, medium and large industries, it said.
Briefing the Commission on the State's performance, the Chief Minister said fiscal discipline was his government's priority and efforts were on to ensure that the benefits of development reach the people.
He noted that in the industrial sector Maharashtra had received the highest foreign investment, and accounted for 35 per cent of the country's total FDI approvals during the period 2000-01 to 2010-11.
Mr. Chavan pointed out that a total investment of Rs. 2,50,000 crore with an employment potential of about five lakh was expected in the next four years.
The Chief Minister sought the Planning Commission's support in taking forward various projects, including the third phase of the metro.
Mr. Chavan said a number of new projects, including mono-rail and metro, would have trial runs this year.
