Maharashtra, which stands second after Gujarat in terms of foreign direct investments in India, will be opening an investor facilitation centre in the next two weeks.

A delegation of senior Maharashtra Government officials, who were in the city to invite fresh investments from local industrial houses, said the centre will act as a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs looking to set up new industries in the State.

Bhushan Gagrani, CEO of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, told a meeting of industrialists here that the centre would help entrepreneurs get all required licences, including environment clearances and land allotments. “We will start with some 31 services, which we will expand in course of time. The centre will remain with the investors from the beginning till their units are operational and beyond,” he said.

Manoj Saunik, Principal Secretary (Textile), said the Maharashtra Government was giving a major thrust to the textile sector. “Out of the about 88 lakh bales of cotton we produce, only some 20-odd lakh bales are consumed within the State, the rest going outside. This indicates the potential the State has in the textile sector,” he said.

The State Government has unveiled a new policy for this sector, aiming at attracting investments up to Rs 40,000 crore and creating 11 lakh jobs by 2017. “In the last three years, we have already received investment proposals worth Rs 10,000 crore,” he added.

Apurva Chandra, Principal Secretary (Industries), assured industrialists of uninterrupted power supply, as the State had become a power-surplus State. “It is true that power rate in our State are Rs 8.50 a unit, which many say are a bit costly. But given the quality of our power supply, industries are willing to pay the rate,” he said.

>amitmitra@thehindu.co.in

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