Vision & Mission
TThe state aims to achieve economic development and perform well on the economic front that will help to reduce the percentage of population living below the poverty line by 50 per cent by the year 2010.
The aim of the policy is that Human Development Index (HDI) of Maharashtra should be comparable with the best among the Asian countries. To meet this objective, the policy focuses on:
- Boosting the services sector and create employment opportunities
- Encouraging investment by the private players in infrastructural developments
- Providing greater stability to the businesses to propel growth
The policy targets at:
- Growth rate of 10 percent in the industrial sector by 2010
- Progress in the service sector of 12 percent by the year 2010
- Creation of additional employment opportunities by 2010 and generation of almost 2 million jobs
Making systematic effort to sustain the economic growth by resorting to innovative methods to improve the conductive industrial environment and develop the potential sectors. This is expected to help the state occupy a significant position and develop a competitive edge.
Now, the government is focussing on specific sectors and formulating its growth strategies. In respect of its existing industries which includes chemicals, textiles, engineering, petroleum, automobiles and auto components, the government's strategy involves systematic efforts to keep up the current industrial momentum. As far as the Financial services, IT and ITES sectors are concerned, it aims to create sufficient employment opportunities. Regarding the tourism and biotechnology sector of Maharashtra, the state government plans to strengthen these sectors and develop a sotrng customer base.
IT/ITES Policy
Maharashtra has formulated its IT/ITES policy with the aim to:
- Set up an Empowered Committee and a Directorate of Information Technology
- To offer fiscal incentives such as exemption from paying stamp duty and electricity duty, double FSI (FAR) for units built in IT Parks
- To relax the labour laws and bring about greater flexibility in the working hours
Tourism Policy
As per the policy guidelines, it was laid out that Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation shall work as a single window to clear of the tourism projects. There will be ease in the land allotment process and also it was specified that tax exemptions shall be granted at the industrial rates.
Biotech Policy
The state has formulated its Biotech policy as per which it was decided to establish Maharashtra Biotechnology Board and Maharashtra Biotechnology Commission and at the same time set up a special Biotechnology Development Fund. It was mentioned in the guidelines of the policy that the state would endeavour to create Biotech resource centre and set up Biotech parks. It was also mentioned that fiscal incentives shall be granted to the IT units which will include exemptions from paying stamp duty and electricity duty. Other provisions include establishment of Grape Processing Industry Board, creation of wine institute and wine parks at Nashik/Sangli and excise exemptions and other fiscal benefits.
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Policy
For developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state, the government of Maharashtra has drafted the SEZ policy. The SEZs, earmarked as duty-free enclaves, have a relaxed and business friendly policy regime, aimed at promoting rapid industrial development and employment generation. :
The approved policy regime includes:
- Exemption of all state and local taxes and levies for transactions with the SEZ and for supply from domestic tariff areas to the SEZ
- Exemption from stamp duty and registration fees
- Grant of labour and environment related permits and approvals through a dedicated single window mechanism
- Permission to generate electricity for own consumption
- Expeditious process for land acquisition to set up SEZs
Maharashtra State Road Development CorporationThe State Government has constituted the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to accelerate development of transport infrastructure in the state. MSRDC has executed several notable projects, including the prestigious Mumbai-Pune Expressway (MPE), flyover projects in Mumbai, rail-overbridges across the state etc. The key projects under various phases of implementation include Bandra-Worli Sea Link and Trans Harbour Link, among others. MSRDC has been assigned responsibility for carrying out a feasibility study of Mass Rapid Light Rail Transit System at Pune, Nagpur and Thane cities and development of an air cargo hub at Nagpur. The US$ 400 million Mumbai-Pune Expressway connects the two largest cities of Maharashtra and has been built to international standards.
In 2004, MSRDC privatised the Mumbai-Pune Expressway through transfer of the tolling rights of the Expressway for a period of 15 years for over US$ 200 million.
Infrastructure Policy
In order to improve the management of existing industrial infrastructure in the state, the State Government is planning to set up 'industrial township authorities' in respective industrial areas. These authorities will be autonomous bodies responsible for managing common infrastructure with active participation from the industrial units located in the area. They will also collect taxes and revenues for various services. In the first phase, 12 such industrial township authorities shall be set up. The Government is also planning to develop industrial parks in the state through private sector participation.
While the state's electricity sector is considered among the more progressive ones, the State Government has taken steps to further streamline the sector. It has set up the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) under the provisions of the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act, 1998. The process of restructuring the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) is underway.
e-Governance
Information Technology has been adopted widely and the government of Maharashtra has taken a number of e governance initiatives to improve the day-to-day functioning, some of which are mentioned below:
SETU: Computerisation at the front-end for facilitating citizens at revenue offices. It helps to quickly monitor the applications submitted by the public and action being taken within a fixed time frame.
SARTHI: Computerisation of driving license and vehicle registration
SARITA: Award-winning computerisation of the complete process of property document registration
SEAS: Fast MIS for revenue collection from excise duty
LMIS: Computerisation of land records
The efforts made by the Maharashtra Government have been widely appreciated and SARITA has been recognised as the Best Revenue System and SETU as the Best Citizen Centric Project at the national level.
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