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Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis recently conducted multiple high-level meetings in New Delhi with key Union ministers and NITI Aayog officials, pressing for central approvals and financial backing for a series of ambitious infrastructure, health, and rural development projects. The state has proposed funding requests exceeding USD 3.5 billion through global institutions for cement road construction, coastal erosion prevention, and wastewater treatment. Additionally, discussions covered a proposed INR 10,000 crore fertiliser plant in Nagpur and a USD 2.6 billion cement road project with ADB assistance, among other sustainability-linked initiatives.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis conducted a series of meetings in the national capital with senior Union ministers and policy officials, aiming to secure central clearances and financial support for a portfolio of large-scale development projects. His discussions with Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman focused on five key proposals for which Maharashtra is seeking backing from international financial institutions. These include a USD 1 billion plan for building cement roads in villages with populations over 1,000, and separate USD 500 million projects targeting coastal erosion prevention and municipal wastewater treatment and reuse. Two additional projects are also being considered for World Bank funding. Advertisement
In his engagement with Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister J P Nadda, Fadnavis outlined a proposal for a fertiliser manufacturing facility in Nagpur district, with an annual capacity of 12.7 lakh tonnes. This INR 10,000 crore venture is being planned as a joint effort involving GAIL, the Department of Fertilizers, and the Maharashtra government. The state has urged the Centre for subsidy and financial support to drive this investment forward.
A separate meeting with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan centred around a USD 2.6 billion (INR 22,490 crore) rural road construction project aimed at developing 14,000 km of cement roads that would remain maintenance-free for 25 years. Maharashtra is seeking funding from the Asian Development Bank to implement this initiative. Chouhan acknowledged the state's efficiency in executing housing schemes, noting that over 30 lakh homes had been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana following rapid surveys.
During interactions with NITI Aayog, the Chief Minister discussed multiple future-ready and sustainable initiatives. These include an artificial intelligence-based screening programme for non-communicable diseases, a INR 4,300 crore bamboo-based industrial cluster, the Marathwada Water Grid, the Daman Ganga-Godavari river-linking initiative, and a programme to link Industrial Training Institutes with the private sector for skill development. NITI Aayog officials commended Maharashtra's fiscal discipline, particularly its 18 percent fiscal responsibility and budget management (FRBM) ratio, which is well within the permitted 25 percent threshold. They assured swift processing of approvals for these initiatives.
The meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were described as courtesy visits, during which ongoing central-state partnerships in Maharashtra were reviewed.
The coordinated approach, combined with the state's strong fiscal indicators, positions Maharashtra favourably to fast-track approvals and secure funding, particularly through multilateral agencies. These engagements not only aim to improve rural livelihoods and industrial capacity but also reflect the government's intention to align state-level development with national policy priorities.
Source - PTI
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