Condition of getting non-agricultural land nod to be scrapped for micro, small industries: Fadnavis

Mumbai, Sep 18 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the condition of obtaining non-agricultural (NA) permission for certain extents of land required for micro and small industries and food processing units will be removed.

The decision was taken at a policy reforms meeting chaired by the chief minister, an official release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

During the meeting, Fadnavis directed officials to initiate action on the proposal, stating that this step would save crucial time for entrepreneurs and enable them to start industries without delay.

Highlighting the importance of policy-making, Fadnavis said governance should frame policies keeping in mind social welfare and future challenges.

"The aim must be to make life easier for common citizens and ensure balanced development. Policies should focus on neglected sectors that have the potential to push Maharashtra ahead of other states," he said.

The CM further suggested that large industrial estates should develop 'industrial townships' equipped with complete civic amenities.

These would provide residential facilities near workplaces, thereby improving the productivity of workers, he noted.

Fadnavis also emphasized the need for a 'palliative care policy' to support patients recovering from critical diseases like cancer, particularly in advanced stages.

"A robust mechanism must be built to ensure availability and use of medicines that reduce symptoms and pain," he said.

Talking about the power requirement, he said certain industries may need to set up captive power generation units, which would help in creating competitive electricity tariffs and benefit consumers as well.

He also called for regular training programmes to enhance workers' skills, and suggested introducing a scholarship scheme for workers on the lines of existing government initiatives.

The CM directed that an online portal with an automated payment system be created for clearance of government dues to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), so that service providers can track the status of their payments.

Referring to the 50 per cent import duty imposed by the US on Indian goods, Fadnavis said new concepts must be implemented to compensate for the losses in exports from Maharashtra.

He asked officials to explore alternative markets and boost teakwood plantation to meet the domestic demand.

Policies related to active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing, palliative care, MSME payment systems, biogas, onion mega bank, NA permission process and the impact of US import duties were also discussed during the meeting, the CM Office said in its statement. PTI MR NP