Mumbai, Feb 10 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that the state continues to attract the highest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country, adding that this investment is now not just the highest in India but has also become record-breaking.

He added that an industry-friendly ecosystem has been created in the state by transforming economic activity into a celebratory movement, which has led to unprecedented levels of investment in Maharashtra.

Chief Minister Fadnavis was speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of Loksatta newspaper.

The Chief Minister said that Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) worth Rs 30 lakh crore were signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, of which agreements worth Rs 12 lakh crore have already been finalised.

The state government has decided to enter into agreements only where foreign investment is assured, ensuring that every MoU signed results in direct foreign investment in the state.

He added that Maharashtra’s pavilion at Davos received an overwhelming response from global investors, and among the 10 Indian states present, Maharashtra stood out prominently.

The state has achieved a 75 per cent conversion rate of agreements signed at Davos into actual industrial projects, Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

“To improve the Ease of Doing Business, the state is implementing the “Hundred Reforms in Two Months” initiative. These 100 reforms are aimed at further strengthening the industry-friendly environment and attracting more investors. The MAITRI Portal has been operationalised as a single-window system for industries. Industrial development is being decentralised, with investments reaching even the remotest parts of the state,” the Chief Minister added.

According to the CM Fadnavis, Gadchiroli is emerging as the “Steel City of India”, while Nagpur has become a major hub for the automobile industry.

“A leading firm has invested Rs 15,000 crore in Nagpur, where it is setting up the largest automobile manufacturing project in India’s history,” the Chief Minister said.

“The country’s largest electric vehicle manufacturing capacity is being developed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where next-generation electric vehicles will be produced. At Davos, investments were secured for all five districts of North Maharashtra. The Nardana Industrial Estate in Dhule district is expected to become a magnet for future industries, while even backward districts like Nandurbar are witnessing industrial growth,” he added.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the state government’s focus is not limited to industrialisation alone but also on creating a robust industrial ecosystem.

To inculcate a reading habit among students, he announced that an initiative would be launched under which every student will be encouraged to read at least one newspaper regularly.

He also said that Phase-2 of the ‘Aaple Sarkar’ portal will be operational by May 1, 2026.

“At present, around 1,000 government services are available online, but 29 of these services account for the needs of 99 per cent of citizens. If these services are delivered in a simplified, responsible, and efficient manner, citizens will not need to visit government offices, leading to greater public satisfaction. E-governance has already brought dynamism to government services, and Artificial Intelligence will be used to enhance this efficiency further.”

–IANS

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