Fadnavis downplays MoUs worth over Rs.61,000 cr signed by MVA govt, flags concern on FDI

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday urged Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to focus on improving the state's Foreign Direct Investment ranking. His remarks come a day after the state government signed MoUs worth over Rs.61,000 crore with 25 companies in more than 15 sectors such as IT, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, biotechnology and food processing. According to Fadnavis, most of these MoUs were signed during his tenure as the Chief Minister, for which the land has already been allocated.

Moreover, he expressed concern over RBI's data which showed that Maharashtra had slipped to the 3rd spot in attracting FDI after Gujarat and Karnataka. The former CM recalled that Maharashtra consistently secured the highest FDI for any state in the country for 4 years in a row when the BJP-Shiv Sena government was in power. He argued that it was imperative for Maharashtra to emerge as the main destination for investment at a juncture when the investment is gradually moving away from China. 

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "The Maharashtra CM said that the state has secured investment on a large scale during the COVID-19 period. It is very good if there is investment in Maharashtra. But many of these MoUs were also signed during our regime and land was allocated too. But it is worrying that the data released by RBI shows that Maharashtra has slipped to the 3rd spot. During our tenure, we kept Maharashtra at the number one rank for 4 years in a row. There were two years during which 42% and 44% of the country's investment came to Maharashtra."

He added, "After COVID-19, the investment is moving out of China and India is attracting it. At such time, its destination has to be Maharashtra. I feel that the CM should pay more attention to this."

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Fadnavis affirms faith in BJP's strength

Earlier on Monday, Fadnavis exuded confidence in BJP forming the government on its own in Maharashtra. In a veiled reference to Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil's assertion that 10 BJP legislators could join NCP, Fadnavis opined that some parties were spreading such rumours to hide the uneasiness of MLAs within their fold. Maintaining that BJP is united, Fadnavis mentioned that even the leaders who have shifted their allegiance to his party are aware that the MVA government will only last for a limited time period. Furthermore, he called upon party workers to take the opportunity of the vacuum created by Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena joining hands.

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