Maharashtra plans new IT policy, e-tendering to retain investments

State govt launches initiative to amend acts to ensure welfare of unorganised labour

The Maharashtra government has proposed a slew of measures to attract investments, said Governor C Vidyasagar Rao during the legislature’s joint session, inaugurating the Budget session on Monday.

To boost manufacturing in the state, the government has launched the Make in Maharashtra, said Rao. Some of the proposed measures to attract investment are reduction in the time required to get approval through electronic clearance, new procurement policy, e-tendering policy and a state-of-the-art intelligence facilitation centre.

The government has also launched a new information technology policy to provide incentive to the sector.

On the development of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which received allocation in the Centre’s annual Budget, the governor said the state has signed a support agreement and state-holder agreement with the DMIC Trust.  

A special purpose vehicle, Aurangabad Industrial Township, has been constituted to implement the first DMIC node at in the city.

To implement National Democratic Alliance government’s flagship programme, the state has established an independent skill development and entrepreneurship department. On the lines of the Centre’s Digital India initiative, the state has set up mahakaushalya.gov.in portal for providing an efficient digital platform to the skill and entrepreneurship development eco system.

The governor said the government is also formulating a new industrial policy through amendments to the Acts concerned to ensure the welfare of labour in the organised sectors. He, however, did not provide any details of the government’s plans to ammend key legislations such as Industrial Disputes Act, 1947; Factories Act; Contract Labour Act, 1970; and Industry Act, 1948.

The government has formed a panel, chaired by the state labour commissioner, to suggest amendments.

On the power sector, the governor said the state-run Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MahaGenco) will add 3,230 MW by March 2016. MahaGenco, which has started 50 MW solar project in the Pune district, has projected a capacity of 180 MW.

The governor also said the government has released Rs 4,000 crore through a direct benefit transfer scheme for farmer affected untimely rain and hailstorm, without waiting for central assistance.

He said scarcity has been declared in 23,811 villages whose paisewari was less than 50p and various relief measures have been implemented. He added the government has submitted a memorandum to the Centre for financial assistance.

During the governor’s address the Opposition parties shouted slogans demanding immediate financial aid to farmers. They also demanded restoration of reservation for Muslims, besides a quota for the Marathi community. Opposition parties, which also raised slogans by displaying placards at the time of the governor’s arrival in the legislature, condemned the killing of rationalist and CPI leader Govind Pansare.