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Maha govt takes slew of initiatives to attract investments

Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) The Maharashtra government in a serious bid to maintain its pre-eminence in attracting domestic and foreign investments on Thursday announced a slew of initiatives including setting up a “country desk” to advise and assist investors in their proposals.

The government said that the emphasis will be placed on creating policies consistent with global and regional investment trends for new investments. Efforts will be made to increase coordination between the state government and major industry groups.

The state government has already sent communication with potential investors for preferential investments in Maharashtra. The government will provide continuous support to investors. The MoUs signed to date will be implemented on a fast-track basis and the state government will make all efforts to create awareness regarding investment opportunities in Maharashtra.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the government will increase cooperation with multilateral organisations and development banks, step up coordination with embassies and trade associations, and encourage the Marathi migrant community in Maharashtra to invest.

In addition, the government will focus on attracting investments on a priority basis in various sectors such as electronics, textiles, automobiles and pharmaceuticals.

Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Maharashtra Industry, Trade and Investment Facilitation Cell and Directorate of Industries will play an active role in the implementation of these new initiatives to attract more investments in the state.

Further, the government will craft new investment strategies in line with global and regional trends and encourage Maharashtrian entrepreneurs from abroad to invest in the state.

The state government’s move is crucial especially when Maharashtra has topped in getting FDI in two consecutive years 2023-24 and 2024-25. The state topped the country in foreign direct investment with Rs 1,25,101 crore in 2023-24 and it again topped the country in the first two quarters, from April to September of this year 2024-25 with FDI of Rs.1,13,236 crore, which is more than 90 per cent of last year’s total FDI. The state is a preferred destination for FDI.

Maharashtra is one of the leading industrial States in the country. Maharashtra contributes more than 14 per cent to the country’s total GDP. The government has set a very ambitious target of making Maharashtra the first state in the country to achieve the target of a one trillion US dollar economy by the year 2027-28.

–IANS

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Kerala to have first Assembly election in over five decades without Oommen Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 3 (IANS) When the next Kerala Assembly elections are held, most likely in April–May, they will be the first polls in over five decades without Congress leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

However, the candidates of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) are likely to begin their campaign from his grave in Puthupally.

Among the Congress’s most popular faces, its most tireless campaigner and its most dependable vote mobiliser, Chandy, a two-time Chief Minister, represented the Puthupally Assembly constituency continuously from 1970 until his death in 2023 at the age of 79.

Across political eras and shifting voter moods, he remained electorally formidable.

He was the UDF’s single biggest campaign asset. From Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, Chandy was a familiar presence on campaign trails, often spending long days canvassing for candidates in distant constituencies, leaving himself little time to campaign at home — a constituency he won with remarkable ease.

That familiar figure will be missing this time.

There will be no reassuring handshake, no impromptu conversations with voters, no late-night journeys to remote corners of the state.

Yet, in a paradox that Kerala politics has rarely witnessed, the absence of Chandy has only deepened his presence.

Following his death and the massive public grief during his final journey, Chandy transitioned from a political leader into a moral symbol.

His grave at his home parish church in Puthupally, next door to the house he lived in for decades, has since become a place of “pilgrimage”, with hundreds said to arrive daily to pray, reflect and remember.

During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and subsequent by-elections, political leaders cutting across levels made it a point to visit the site, quietly acknowledging the emotional power it carries. In death, Chandy has been freed from political contestation and criticism, leaving only a memory of accessibility, humility and endurance.

It is this frozen image that has led to a striking refrain in Kerala’s political discourse — that Chandy, in death, has become more powerful than he ever was in life.

As Kerala goes to the polls without him, Chandy will not be on the campaign stage. But he will remain central to the election in memory, in symbolism and in Puthupally, where many campaigns will begin in silence.

–IANS

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TN to roll out high-speed internet for rural households under ‘BharatNet’ scheme

Chennai, May 24 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government is set to launch an ambitious initiative to provide high-speed internet access to all rural households in the state, targeting one crore homes per year.

The scheme is being implemented under the Central government’s ‘BharatNet’ project, aimed at bridging the digital divide across rural India.

In Tamil Nadu, the project is spearheaded by the Tamil Nadu FiberNet Corporation Ltd (TANFINET). High-speed internet connectivity through optical fibre cables is being established in 12,525 gram panchayats across the state.

The groundwork began in 2018 and has now reached its final phase. So far, optical fibre cables have been laid over a distance of nearly 55,000 kilometres, covering 11,800 villages.

Some delays were encountered in certain locations, particularly in forest regions, due to challenges in obtaining clearances and executing cable-laying operations. However, the government has announced that all pending work is expected to be completed by next month.

Currently, notices inviting applications for internet service providers in around 4,000 villages have been published on the official TANFINET website (https://tanfinet.tn.gov.in).

Similar notices for an additional 4,000 villages are set to be released in the coming days, with the remainder to follow soon after. The rollout of actual internet connections is scheduled to begin next month. The government has set a bold target of connecting one crore rural households with high-speed internet within this year.

To ensure affordability and wide adoption, internet plans are being tailored to meet both household and business needs. For homes, unlimited internet at 20 Mbps will be offered at a base price of Rs 199 per month. Higher-tier plans of Rs 399 and Rs 499 will provide increased speeds. For businesses, two initial plans are available, Rs 899 and Rs 1,199, with enhanced bandwidth.

Officials have noted that all plans are subject to change based on government discretion and consumer demand. With this digital push, Tamil Nadu aims to enhance rural connectivity, empower digital learning, and boost economic activity through improved internet access.

–IANS

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