Maha regained 1st position in major sectors in last 2 yrs: CM

Picking holes in criteria applied for DIPP ranking that listed Maharashtra at the 10th position in ease of doing business, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said in last two years his government has managed to regain prime status for the state in all major sectors.

"We have managed to attract the largest investment by volumes in the country that is even certified by the RBI.

Also, the largest employment creation and rate of conversion of MoUs of 40 per cent has taken place in Maharashtra. Again, the best innovative economy in the country is Maharashtra," Fadnavis told PTI in an interview.

He said the state holds the first position in agri marketing sector, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, where out of the 10 top cleanest districts under the project, five are from Maharashtra.

"Our state has the highest number of gram panchayats that have become open defecation free and out of 118 towns validated by the Centre, 52 are from Maharashtra," he said.

"Also in national programmes, Maharashtra has been number one. Similar is the case with Jan Dhan Yojana and Mudra loans. In all major sectors, Maharashtra has become number one and has thus regained its lost position in the last two years," Fadnavis said.

Explaining the nuances of the reforms ranking 2015-16, conducted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and the World Bank, he said the ranking was based on three categories - leader states, that secure above 90 per cent; aspiring leaders category that rank between 70 and 90 per cent; A category where a state needs to work harder.

"Last year, Maharashtra secured 49 per cent and we this year jumped to 92 per cent and are in leaders category now.

The difference between the placement of the first 10 states is merely 4-5 per cent. So, I think this is a huge jump, from a nowhere category to leader category," he said.

Fadnavis said the government still has objections to the state's ranking as 7 points listed out have been rejected by the Centre.

"Had those points been considered, we would have gone up to 98 per cent. It is not a ranking vis-a-vis investments but on ease of doing business in which Maharashtra is in the leaders category among the best performing states," he said.