In a rare gesture the Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe on Tuesday held a marathon meeting with the representatives of various industry associations from and outside India to deliberate on the issues faced by them in pursuing their investments and thereafter during the operations in Maharashtra. Representatives from the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Maharashtra Economic Development Council, Indo American Chamber of Commerce and US Maharashtra Development Council participated. Industry representatives highlighted a slew of issues including decaying infrastructure in the industrial estates including roads, water, power, effluent treatment plant apart from the availability of land and recovery of electricity duty of Rs 1.20 per unit from the captive power producers.
They made a strong case for the drastic changes in the rulers pertaining to Mathadi workers saying that the monopoly of Mathadi workers adds to cost of their operations especially when the Centre proposes to reduce the logistic cost to bring it in line with other competitive countries.
IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Anant Singhania urged the urgent need to reduce the volume of paperwork required to be completed by the investor and also the number of various laws which are currently 1100 in force in Maharashtra. He suggested that the government and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation will have to immediately intervene to provide last mile connectivity especially from mobile phones and roads in industrial estates. He also suggested some decisions on rupee trade and use of public digital infrastructure with investors from abroad.
IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s incoming President Sanjay Somaiya brought to Dr Gorhe’ a notice of high electricity duty imposed on the captive power producers. He said the electricity duty in Maharashtra is Rs 1.20 per unit against zero in Rajasthan, 15 paise per unit in Madhya Pradesh, 20 paise in Karnataka and 12 paise in Kerala. Further, he said the private universities in Maharashtra to introduce courses in agriculture as done by Deemed Universities citing lack of level playing field. He insisted that private universities be allowed as the agriculture sector awaits major opportunities in future and for that research and development is needed.
FICCI assistant director Pradeep Ahire said the investors from abroad face huge problems pertaining to culture and food that will have to be addressed in Maharashtra.
MEDC deputy director Sheetal Panchal suggested that the state government needs to focus on the redevelopment of forts situated in forests, saying that it will further attract investments and create jobs. She pitched for effective functioning of the Passengers Transport Policy with a view to encourage public transport instead of private vehicles.
US Maharashtra Development Council founder Mukund Kute, who participated online from the US, insisted on the implementation of its MoU with the Maharashtra government signed about 8 years ago. He listed a number of areas of growth including agricultural processing and product export, food processing, FMCG export, pharma and drugs export and plant machinery, electrical automation and fabrication.
Indo American Chamber of Commerce member Saurabh Shah, who joined virtually from the US, said that the state government can consider technology transfer clusters especially for micro, small and medium enterprises.
Dr Gorhe after listening to the views expressed by the industry representatives said a meeting will be convened in the second week of July with the officers from the industry department. She further assured another meeting will be held in August to discuss the present state and way forward on the MoU signed by these industry bodies with organisations from various countries.
