Iron ore-rich Gadchiroli setto drive Vidarbha’s industrial growth: CM

 

 

that was referred to as the ‘Red Corridor’ due to the widespread Maoist activities till recent past, was the buzzword at the inaugural session of the three-day ‘Advantage Vidarbha 2025 - Khasdar Audyogik Mahotsav’ on Friday. Policy-makers and entrepreneurs, gathered at the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) campus to participate in the mega event, unanimously agreed that the eastern district of Maharashtra is set to drive industrial growth. While highlighting that Vidarbha will emerge as the largest industrial ecosystem in the country, they all felt that Gadchiroli will be its focal point. In his inaugural address, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the rich deposits of iron ore in Gadchiroli are going to change the fate of the entire region. “It will soon become a hub of steel manufacturing. JSW Group has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Government to set up its biggest steel plant in the district. The upcoming ‘steel revolution’ in Gadchiroli would benefit all the neighbouring districts of the region,” he said. Fadnavis further said that an airport will soon come up in Gadchiroli as the Government is working on land acquisition.

 

In addition to Gadchiroli, Fadnavis said investments are also pouring at other places including Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur. Out of the State’s total investments committed in Davos recently, agreements worth approximately Rs 5 lakh crore are exclusively for Vidarbha, he added. Earlier in his address, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that for the past two decades, efforts were being made for the prosperity of the district. “Whenever we used to visit the district, security officers would advise us to leave the Naxal affected area as early as possible. But things have now changed drastically. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has accepted the responsibility as Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli,” he added. Gadkari also highlighted that measures for eradication of poverty, unemployment and Naxalism have been taken.

 

Commenting on industrial growth happening in other parts, Gadkari said that arrival of various multinational companies in MIHAN has created more than 1 lakh jobs. “While more than 75 per cent of the total minerals in the State are located in Vidarbha, it also has 80 per cent of the State’s total forest cover. These are the strengths of our region,” he added. Elaborating on various projects spopportunities will be created in the region in next 4 years. Gadkari further said that Vidarbha will have the lion’s share in the five trillion dollar economy dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant hailed Fadnavis for attracting huge investments in the State and assured the entrepreneurs all possible cooperation from the Government. Business leaders Prabhakaran Balasubramanian of Lloyds Metals Ltd and Roshni Nadar Malhotra of HCL Technologies also spoke about their investments and expansion plans.

 

The grand inaugural session of the three-day mega industrial expo, business conclave and investment summit – ‘Advantage Vidarbha 2025 – Khasdaar Audyogik Mahotsav’ also witnessed presence of several dignitaries including Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Guardian Minister of Nagpur Chandrashekhar Bawankule; Minister of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development of Maharashtra Atul Save; Minister of Soil and Water Conservation of Maharashtra Sanjay Rathod; MLA Sanjay Savkare; Maharashtra Minister of State Adv Ashish Jaiswal; Maharashtra Minister of State Dr Pankaj Bhoyar; Maharashtra Minister of State Indranil Naik; Minister of Labour of Maharashtra Akash Pandurang Fundkar; Member of the Lok Sabha Shyamkumar Barve; former Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Sancheti, and others. Ashish Kale, President of Association for Industrial Development, gave the introductory remark while AID Secretary Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma proposed the formal vote of thanks. Mansi Sontakke conducted the proceedings of the inaugural session. read across the region, he said 3 lakh employment