Fadnavis slams 'confused, puzzled' Oppn; says Davos WEF trip important to remain globally relevant

Mumbai, Feb 26 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday dubbed the Opposition as "confused and puzzled", and rebutted its criticism over signing MoUs with Indian companies in Davos, saying presence there is necessary to remain relevant in the economic world.

He said his government's 'Viksit Maharashtra' document outlines the roadmap and vision to make the state a USD one trillion economy in the next four to five years.

Replying to the debate on motion of thanks to the Governor's address to the state legislature on the first day of the budget session earlier this week, Fadnavis said the opposition was targeting the government based on non-facts.

"They are confused and puzzled," he said.

On criticism of signing MoUs with Indian companies during the recently-held World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Davos in Switzerland, the CM said he represented the state there because if one has to be relevant in the economic world, presence at Davos is necessary.

"Davos is a very serious business. In the last few years, we have succeeded in creating a good buzz about Maharashtra. Foreign investors expect us to come to Davos," he said.

Fadnavis said 98 per cent of the MoUs signed in 2022 are in the implementation stage, while this figure is 80 per cent for the MoUs signed in 2023. Similarly, 70 per cent of the agreements inked in 2024 are being implemented and 88 per cent of those signed in 2025 are being carried out.

At the national level, 35 per cent of the MoUs translate into investment, but in Maharashtra, that ratio has been 55 per cent, he claimed.

"More than 75 per cent of the MoUs signed in Davos have been converted to investment," he told the House.

Fadnavis noted that Maharashtra continues to be the leader in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country, and accounted for 39 per cent of the national average.

On the USD one trillion economy goal, he said, "One trillion dollars means Rs 90 lakh crore. At present, it is Rs 51 lakh crore. In 2012-13, the size of the economy was Rs 13 lakh crore. 'We have already crossed the Rs 660 billion-mark. The objective is to reach the one trillion dollar mark in four to five years. If there is drought, there may be a one or two year delay." Unemployment rate in Maharashtra has dipped from four per cent in 2021-2022 to 3.1 per cent in 2025.

He said 1,20,449 job appointment letters have been given by the state government in vacant government posts.

Fadnavis made it clear that Gadchiroli will be transformed into a steel hub through the involvement of local population, and added that Naxalism has ended as people trust the government's development agenda.

Maharashtra is the start-up capital of the country accounting for 20 per cent of the start-ups in the country, he said.

Fadnavis blamed the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for accepting the Mashelkar Committee report of making learning Hindi mandatory from class one.

"Since it was approved by the cabinet, the lower rung of the bureaucracy issued the government resolution to this effect when we came to power. For us, only Marathi is mandatory. I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the decision of teaching engineering and medical courses in mother tongue," he added.

He also said that a financial assistance of Rs 15,472 crore has been given to farmers in distress and loan waiver will be done at appropriate time.

"We are creating a digital record of farmers to ensure only the needy get the loan waiver. We have waived electricity bills to the tune of Rs 23,000 crore, and over 10 lakh agriculture pumps have been given to them in three years," he said.

Fadnavis said the work on Dr B R Ambedkar's memorial on the Indu Mills land in Mumbai was underway. The 230 feet statue is ready and budget provision of Rs 400 crore has been made.

The project should be completed soon, he added. PTI MR NP