Maharashtra lost Foxconn-Vedanta project due to MVA govt's fault: CM Eknath Shinde

Last November, BMC terminated the contract of Roadway Solutions India Infra Ltd to concretise Mumbai roads for not starting the work even eight months after getting the contract.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde blamed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on February 16 for losing the crucial Foxconn-Vedanta project.

"The allegations of key projects and institutions leaving Mumbai and Maharashtra are false. Maharashtra  lost Foxconn-Vedanta chip project as  MVA government didn't help them at all," he said in a conversation with CNBC-TV18.

In 2022, Vedanta-Foxconn had decided to shift its proposed semiconductor plant to Gujarat from Maharashtra, which kicked up a political blame game between the Shinde government and the opposition MVA. Last year, Taiwan's Foxconn announced its plans to withdraw from a $19.5 billion semiconductor joint venture with mining baron Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Limited.

Meanwhile, Shinde also added that the state has the highest number of infrastructure projects in the country, as he underlined the key development projects.

"Development, especially infrastructure development, is the focus of our government. Maharashtra has the highest number of infrastructure projects in the country which provides a lot of relief to the people," he said.

"Our government has fast tracked work on projects like Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), coastal road project, Navi Mumbai airport and metro lines," Shinde said, adding that their government will make an access control grid in the entire state.

The Chief Minister also announced a revised deadline for achieving a pothole-free Mumbai. He said the same will happen by the year 2026.

A few days back, Shinde had hit back at the Opposition MVA for demanding the imposition of President’s rule in the state.

He claimed the Mahayuti (Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP) government led by him enjoys the support of 210 MLAs in the 288-member House.

Notably, the Shinde-led government is under flak in the wake of two incidents of shootings. While a BJP MLA shot at and injured a Shiv Sena leader inside a police station in Thane district over a dispute, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader was fatally shot during Facebook Live in Mumbai.