Industries Will Boost the Country’s Economy: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Foundation Stone Laid for Green Steel Projects in Bhadravati; Four of Seven Coal Gasification Projects to Come Up in Maharashtra

Chandrapur, March 2026 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that industries play a crucial role in strengthening the country’s economy by creating jobs, developing supporting ecosystems and promoting growth across sectors such as services and tourism.

He made these remarks while laying the foundation stone for integrated green steel projects of New Era Cleantech Pvt Ltd and Greta Energy Pvt Ltd in the MIDC industrial area of Bhadravati in Chandrapur district.

The event was attended by Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, Tribal Development Minister and Chandrapur Guardian Minister Ashok Uike, Minister of State for Finance and Planning Ashish Jaiswal, Member of Parliament Pratibha Dhanorkar and several other public representatives and senior officials.

Speaking at the event, Fadnavis highlighted that the Vidarbha region is rich in mineral resources and that the government is focusing on utilising these resources in an environmentally sustainable manner.

“Industries create an entire ecosystem. Along with generating employment, they also boost the service sector and even benefit tourism in the surrounding areas. In this way, industries provide a strong boost to the nation’s economy,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that the projects being launched in Bhadravati are unique in India and will focus on producing green steel using environmentally friendly technologies. He noted that climate change has become a major global challenge affecting both agriculture and industry, which makes the adoption of cleaner technologies essential.

Fadnavis said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, India is moving towards advanced technologies for mineral production. As part of this effort, seven coal gasification projects are being developed across the country, four of which will be located in Maharashtra, particularly in Vidarbha.

He also said that a major steel hub is emerging across districts such as Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Bhandara and Gondia. Investments worth nearly ₹3 lakh crore have already come into the region, which is expected to generate employment for around one lakh people.

The Chief Minister said the demand for green steel is increasing globally and that the product has strong export potential. The two new projects in Bhadravati alone are expected to create about 10,000 job opportunities.

He also urged companies to provide training to local youth so they can benefit from the employment opportunities created by these industries.

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said coal continues to play a vital role in industrial development and economic growth. He noted that the new technology-driven industries being set up in Chandrapur and Bhadravati will contribute significantly to the region’s development.

According to him, the arrival of these two companies will bring an investment of around ₹17,000 crore to Bhadravati and generate substantial employment for local people.

Reddy also said that India earlier depended on foreign technology for coal gasification but is now moving towards self-reliance through advanced technologies introduced under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Among the projects announced, Greta Energy will establish a coal gasification-based greenfield steel plant with an investment of about ₹10,319 crore, creating around 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Meanwhile, New Era Cleantech will set up India’s first integrated coal gasification (coal-to-chemicals) project on a 1,650-acre industrial site in Bhadravati, where over 5 million metric tonnes of coal will be processed annually to produce high-value chemicals.