Mumbai, July 15 (IANS) Industry minister Uday Samant on Tuesday said in the state assembly that Maharashtra is the first state in the country to implement the MoUs signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

This year, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) of Rs 15.74 lakh crore of investment has been signed in Davos.

Due to this industry-friendly environment, 62,000 new entrepreneurs have been created in the state in the last three years under the Chief Minister’s Employment Generation Program. For the first time in the country, a white paper on the industrial sector was issued in the state of Maharashtra.

The minister was replying to the discussion on a resolution moved under Rule 293 by the opposition parties in the state assembly. He said the state government is working for the balanced development of the industrial sector.

The Industry Minister said that the District Industry Council initiative has been started in the district to encourage entrepreneurs to invest. Through this, investments worth over Rs 1 lakh crore have been made this year.

“The inflow of foreign investment into the state has been increasing continuously for the last three years. Reliance Industries Group is bringing an aircraft manufacturing industry to the state. A meeting has been held in this regard, and land will be provided on behalf of the government. The government is making every effort to start this project in the state itself,” said the minister.

Stating that the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district is becoming an industrial district due to the steel industry, with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore.

He further stated that the PM Mitra Textile Park is being set up in Amravati. The semiconductor industry and the ‘Defence Cluster’ are being created in Ratnagiri. Thousands of acres of land are being acquired in the state to establish industrial estates as per the demand and requirement. Due to this, new industrial estates will be started in the state. The state government is ready to empower entrepreneurs and develop industries, assured Minister Samant.

Samant, who is also the Minister of Marathi Language, said that an insult to Marathi will not be tolerated anywhere in the state. The government is taking a strict stand in this regard. The best literary museum in the country will be set up in Maharashtra to promote the Marathi Language.

“The state government is working for the promotion of Marathi not only in the country but also all over the world. Under that, a World Marathi Conference has also been organised. This year’s World Marathi Conference will be organised in Nashik. Also, the Brihan Marathi Mandal was established in 74 Marathi-speaking countries around the world. So far, these Mandals are functioning in only 17 places. Also, a Marathi Literature Conference will be organised for the youth,” said the minister.

–IANS

sj/dan