Agri-crisis not to hamper Maharashtra's growth: Fadnavis

Industry to grow at 6.4% in 2015-16 compared to 4.6% in 2014-15

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said despite present difficult phase the state economy will grow at 8% surpassing the national growth projected at 7 to 7.75%.

He admitted that the agriculture situation is quite grim and it is reeling under crisis due to drought and unforeseen calamities in last 15 years.

Fadnavis was replying to a debate on the state governor C Vidyasagar Rao's address on the inaugural day of the ongoing budget session. 

He said the industry will grow at  6.4% in 2015-16 compared to 4.6% in 2014-15. During Make In India Week, the state has attracted an investment of Rs 8 lakh crore.

Fadnavis strongly refuted opposition's claims that the government has wasted 16 months to boost the growth.

Instead, he said that the government has taken a slew of initiatives to convert the present crisis into an opportunity. He informed that the gross state domestic product is pegged at 8% by end of 2015-16 compared to 5.8% in 2014-15 as shown in the state economic survey.
 

Fadnavis reiterated that the government was not totally against loan waiver for farmers but asked the members to serious consider whether or not it will really help those passing from present crisis. He informed that the government is implementing schemes to provide water, electricity and irrigation to farmers in a bid to further increase farm production and productivity.