Maharashtra Pledges to Achieve Developed India by 2047: CM Shinde at NITI Aayog

New Delhi : Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasized Maharashtra’s commitment to realizing the concept of Developed India @2047, stating that the state government has formulated policies for comprehensive development, including support for the poor, farmers, women’s empowerment, and youth welfare. He spoke at the Ninth Regulatory Council of NITI Aayog at Ashok Pavilion, Rashtrapati Bhavan, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Chief Ministers of various states, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories, ex-officio members of NITI Aayog, Union Ministers, and the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog attended the conference. The Chief Minister highlighted Maharashtra’s leadership in school education, drinking water, energy, health, infrastructure, and the easy registration of land and properties. Aligning with India’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy, Maharashtra aims to contribute $1 trillion. The state has established the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation, modeled after NITI Aayog.

Economic Growth and Agricultural Policy

Maharashtra’s current GDP growth rate is 8.7 percent, with a target of 15 percent. The state is the first to announce the Agricultural Commodities Export Policy and has finalized 72 “one district, one product” initiatives. The Chief Minister discussed the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, which complements the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samman Nidhi Yojana by providing an additional Rs 6,000 per farmer, distributing Rs 5305 crore to 92 lakh farmers. The state aims to double farmers’ income and has prepared an agri-food export policy. Recently, the state decided to establish the ‘Kanda Mahabank,’ a nuclear energy-based storage facility for 10 lakh tonnes of onions. The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to consider price policies for onion procurement under the Onion Price Stabilization Fund Scheme.

Maharashtra has always led in horticulture, with a 5 percent export share. The goal is to increase this to 30-35 percent using advanced technology and strategic measures. The state is implementing resolutions to create, develop, and link value-added supply chains for farmer producer organizations with relevant government schemes, supporting organic farming through incentives. Over the next five years, 25 lakh hectares of land will be brought under natural agriculture through the Punjabrao Deshmukh natural farming campaign.

Women Empowerment Initiatives

The Chief Minister outlined several steps taken for women’s empowerment, including the implementation of the Namo Women Empowerment Scheme and the launch of the ambitious “Chief Minister Majhi Ladki Bahin” program. Approximately two and a half crore women in the state will receive Rs. 15,000 per month, or Rs. 18,000 per year, directly into their bank accounts. Other welfare schemes for women include the Chief Minister Annapurna Yojana, which provides three free cylinders per year, Punyashlok Ahilya Devi Holkar Mahila Startup Yojana, Lek Ladki Yojana, and free PG education for girls.

Strengthening the Health System

Maharashtra leads in health insurance coverage, increasing it by Rs 5 lakh to cover all citizens under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to establish the Ministry of Disability for the all-round development of the disabled and to formulate a transgender policy.

Digital Land Records and Industrial Growth

All rural and urban land rights have been digitized, making land records available to citizens in 262 crore rural areas and 70 lakh urban areas online. In the last two years, Maharashtra has signed investment deals worth Rs 5 lakh crore at the World Economic Forum in Davos, creating about three lakh jobs. With 4.6 lakh registered units contributing 18 percent to industrial output, Maharashtra leads in MSMEs. The state has attracted 30 percent of India’s highest FDI and successfully registered 18,000 start-ups.

Employment at Hand

The Chief Minister announced that the government has prepared a skill training program for youth aged 18 to 35 to enhance their employability. Under the Chief Minister’s Youth Work Training Scheme, the government will provide stipends of up to Rs 10,000 along with apprenticeship training for educated unemployed youth. The Chief Minister emphasized the state’s commitment to the “Saksham Yuva, Samarth Bharat” mission, aiming for an empowered youth and a capable India by 2047. He also introduced the Mission Lakshyavedh Yojana to boost India’s performance in the Olympics and other international sports competitions.

Homes for Common People

The Chief Minister revealed plans for a new housing policy targeting senior citizens. To ensure transparency and efficiency in urban development, all development plans will be fully GIS-based. Large-scale redevelopment schemes have been initiated for old and dilapidated buildings in the MMR area and other parts of Maharashtra through cluster development. The goal is to redevelop slums and dilapidated buildings in Mumbai, with the process already underway to construct more than two lakh houses.

He also highlighted ongoing metro projects, including the construction of approximately 390 kilometers of metro lines in the Mumbai metropolitan area, with additional projects progressing rapidly in Pune and Nagpur. The state government is focusing on district-level policies to create a balanced and inclusive economic development model.

Water Supply and Sanitation

Maharashtra has made significant strides towards the “Har Ghar Jal” target, increasing tap water coverage from 33 percent in 2019 to 86.26 percent, reaching 1.26 crore households. The Chief Minister reported that 11,347 water supply schemes have been completed, with an additional 31,881 schemes in progress. Most schools and Anganwadis in the state now have tap water connections.

Maharashtra is the first state to announce a green hydrogen policy. This policy will attract approximately Rs 2.11 lakh crore in investment, generating 910 KTPA of green hydrogen.

Boosting Tourism

The Chief Minister highlighted that 12 historical forts from the era of Shivaji, including Shivneri, Raigad, and Pratapgad, have been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List. The government is also working to include festivals like Pandharpur Wari Yatra, Dahi Handi, and Ganpati Utsav in this list. Additionally, significant road projects, such as the Konkan Coastal Road and Konkan Green Field Expressway, are progressing rapidly and will be milestones for the Konkan region.