Mumbai, March 25 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that Mumbai is the financial capital of the country and Maharashtra is leading the country in data centers, startups, innovation and investments.
He further stated that Maharashtra has become a favorite investment destination for investors in the fields of technology, information technology, and fintech. Innovation City is being built in the Navi Mumbai area, and the fourth Mumbai is being built in the Vasai, Virar, and Palghar areas.
The Chief Minister was speaking at a special conference organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the US India Business Council (USIBC) here. USIBC President Ambassador Atul Keshap, US Consul General Mike Hankey, US Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clarke and others were present.
“Maharashtra tops among other states in attracting the highest investment, and it has a large share in the country’s gross domestic product. Maharashtra has broken its own record in foreign direct investment and has become a favorite destination for foreign investors. At the same time, the state is known as the startup capital,” he said.
He added that the state has become a favourite destination for the industry due to investments in finance, trade and innovation.
“The Atal Setu and Navi Mumbai Airport are transforming the area, and the innovation city based on specific concepts is being built in Navi Mumbai. An ecosystem related to innovation and education is being created. Five universities from the top fifty in the world rankings abroad will come to this area, of which three are from the US. Therefore, Navi Mumbai will be known as an educity,” he said.
He added that Maharashtra is investing heavily in data centers as 65 per cent of the country’s data centers are located here.
“Due to this, the state is now also known as the capital of data centers. This data center will be supplied with green energy by 2023. The country’s largest Vadhvan port is being built near Palghar. This port is three times larger than JNPT, and it will be connected by bullet train and multimodal corridor. Also, the third airport is being built. Due to infrastructure and investment, this area is developing as the fourth Mumbai,” said the Chief Minister.
He said that Gadchiroli district, which was previously known as a Maoist district, will now be known as the steel hub of the country. About two lakh crores of investment is being made in the steel industry in this area. Pune is a city of manufacturing industries. At the same time, due to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, it has become the capital of electric vehicles.
He also said that the entire system for this has been prepared in that area.
The Chief Minister said that USIBC has made a significant contribution to the growth of industries in America and India.
“The Council is playing a meaningful and formal role in promoting cooperation between industries in both countries. India is the third largest investment destination in the world. Many Indian entrepreneurs are eager to invest in US, and many US investors are also eager to come to India,” he said.
–IANS
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