The Hindu Business Line : `State has received highest number of industrial investment intents'

THE Maharashtra Governor, Mr S.M. Krishna, today said that the State has received the highest number of industrial investment intents till October 2004.

Intents totalling 11,967 with a collective value of Rs 2,65,411 crore were received. It has the potential to generate employment for 20 lakh persons.

The State has also received 3,655 foreign direct investment approvals involving an investment of Rs 52,092 crore. He was addressing the joint session of the State legislature on the opening day of the Budget session.

Water regulator

Delineating the policy of the State on water resources and its management, Mr Krishna said that the State would be establishing a Water Resources Regulatory Authority. The authority will protect the rights of water users and ensure equitable distribution of the resource.

A legislation will also be brought in to protect all beneficiaries of the command area in future irrigation projects. The Governor also said the State Government has established a taskforce for monitoring and surveillance of drinking water.

A pilot project is being implemented in three districts of the State for monitoring drinking water quality. He also said the Government has made ten per cent sample survey to check drinking water quality in all districts in the State.

A complete water sample survey has been taken up in six districts, which have a large number of chemically contaminated water resources. Referring to the World Competitiveness Report of 2004 by the International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland, the Governor said that the State was ranked 38, in the overall global rankings for global enterprise and investment. This was almost on a par with France and South Korea and far above Brazil, Russia, Italy and the Philippines.

Transforming Mumbai

Echoing the State Government's commitment to transform Mumbai into a world-class city, the Governor added that the transformation will accelerate the State's economic growth and provide a better quality of life to its residents.

He also expressed happiness that the Centre has recognised the urgent need for the makeover of Mumbai and made a specific mention in its union Budget proposals for 2005-06 for development of key infrastructure projects worth Rs 36,600 crore. He also the added that the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project and the Metro Rail Project is expected to enhance the quality of important arterial roads, improve east-west connectivity and ease crowding in local trains.

The trans-harbour link to connect Sewri to Nhava would redefine the geography of Mumbai and extend the fruits of its economic growth to the State's inland, he said.

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