15th Fin Commission: Maha seeks Rs 50,000 cr for Mumbai region

In a meeting with the 15th Finance Commission, the Maharashtra government Wednesday sought Rs 50,000 crore as a special support for the Mumbai city and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

"Mumbai is the backbone of our economy. We must strengthen Mumbai's infrastructure. We need to acknowledge the importance of Mumbai in the nation's GDP," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a memorandum to the commission.

Demanding Rs 50,000 crore for Mumbai and the MMR (which includes surrounding townships), he also sought special grants of Rs 32,327 crore for various other development projects.

Of these Rs 32,327 crore, Rs 25,000 crore would be needed to improve living standards in the economically backward Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, he said.

The demand for special grants included Rs 1,400 crore for environmental management, Rs 200 crore for ecosystem conservation and protection and wetland conservation, Rs 1,000 crore for conservation and protection of rivers and Rs 200 crore for coastal biodiversity conservation