Maharashtra signed MoUs of over Rs 4 lakh crore at World Economic Forum, says CM Shinde

By Ravi Khandelwal
Davos [Switzerland], January 17 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said that the state has signed MoUs of more than Rs 4 lakh crore, i.e., around 46 billion, here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
Speaking to ANI, CM Shinde said, "People are excited to invest in Maharashtra. Including today and yesterday, various MoUs were signed. We expected around 3 lakh crores, but MoUs worth more than 4 lakh crore, i.e., around 46 billion, were signed."
"We get a huge international platform from the World Economic Forum. Discussions are held on the environment and technology. Maharashtra is the favourite destination for industries. Our policy is very flexible and pro-industry. The people (in Maharashtra) are very positive and cooperative," he added.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister further said that the good relations between Maharashtra and the Central Government and the double-engine government are working.
"Everyone knows that the state government of Maharashtra and the central government have good relations. Double engine government is working. Maharashtra is also the biggest contributor to the Gross domestic product (GDP)," he told ANI.
The World Economic Forum was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Earlier, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said her government in New Delhi is working with a mantra of women-led development, and it has helped in empowering them.
She said the PM Awas housing scheme, where a majority of the beneficiaries are women, and the Ujjwala gas connection for poor women have helped empower them.
The total number of gas connections in India rose from 14 crores to 32 crores since the incumbent BJP government came to power in 2014. A majority of the new gas connections were under the Ujjwala scheme that started in 2016.
"230 million women received their bank accounts for the first time courtesy of the Jan Dhan Yojna. Of the 400 million loans given out, 70 per cent of beneficiaries were women with women-owned businesses, which means, 280 million women-owned businesses received funds. The NPA was less than 2.5 per cent", said Minister Irani at an event organised by the industry body Confederation of India Industry, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the lounge. This initiative is devoted to capacity building, mainstreaming and sharing some of the best practices in the industry and taken across the spectrum.