Maharashtra's Crucial Contribution to India's Ambitious $5 Trillion Economy Target: Minister Tatkare

Nagpur, Dec 21 (NationPress) In the pre-Union Budget meeting held in Jaisalmer, Minister Aditi Tatkare, representing Maharashtra, expressed confidence that the state will play a critical role in India's pursuit of becoming a $5 trillion economy.

She highlighted the necessity for special financial support for Maharashtra in the upcoming Union Budget.

Minister Tatkare shared Maharashtra's vision, underscoring its strategic position in achieving the Prime Minister’s ambition of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

She outlined various significant issues and proposals for the Union Budget, urging the finance minister to increase central assistance for state Capital Investment by boosting allocations under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States.

She stressed the importance of expediting fund disbursement timelines to ensure qualifying states have a minimum one-year utilization window.

Amidst rapid urbanization, Minister Tatkare called for central support to address the challenges faced by the state.

“With urbanization projected to exceed 50 percent in the coming census, Maharashtra confronts difficulties in resource mobilization for urban local bodies (ULBs). The state government seeks assistance for ULBs to obtain long-term loans for planned urban development and infrastructure improvements,” she stated.

As part of the MukhyaMantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0, aimed at solarizing agricultural feeders, Minister Tatkare advocated for increased targets and funding for Maharashtra.

She requested an expansion of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity from 500 MWh to 9,000 MWh to fulfill the state’s energy storage objectives.

To enhance the modernization of the home department, Minister Tatkare sought funds on a 60:40 basis for projects like digital forensic labs, mobile forensic vans, AMBIS systems, and the Cyber Security Project (costing Rs 837.86 crore).

She emphasized the need for financial support for major initiatives such as integrating Dial 112 emergency services and the Maharashtra Police Station CCTV projects.

Moreover, she called for funding to expedite case resolutions through improved infrastructure for the judiciary.

She requested financing for the construction of the Bombay High Court Complex in Bandra (East), estimated at Rs 3,750 crore.

Additionally, to advance the implementation of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) economic master plan, Minister Tatkare proposed a special package.

This master plan aligns with NITI Aayog’s vision to transform MMR into a national growth hub by 2030.

NITI Aayog has indicated that MMR has the potential to raise its GDP to $300 billion by 2030 from its current level of $140 billion.

The Centre’s public policy think tank has advised the Maharashtra government to focus on seven growth drivers and attract investments of $125-135 billion from the private sector to meet this target.

In an effort to support the state government’s ambitious plan to make Maharashtra drought-free, the state has sought central government backing to include state-funded river-linking projects like Wainganga-Nalganga and Damanganga-Godavari under the National Interlinking of Rivers Scheme.

Furthermore, the state government has appealed to the Centre to alleviate revenue expenditure pressures to create fiscal space for capital projects and establish a ‘Kisan Vishesh Sahayata Nidhi’ to aid farmers impacted by trade policy interventions.

The state also requested increased funding for ongoing schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and financial assistance for areas affected by disasters.

Minister Tatkare concluded that the comprehensive representation emphasized Maharashtra’s ambitions and challenges, ensuring that the state’s priorities were clearly articulated for Union Budget discussions.

She reiterated Maharashtra’s commitment to being a cornerstone of India’s economic growth and development trajectory.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)