As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government completes two years at the Centre on 26 May, the Maharashtra government is set to celebrate it with a slew of industrial and educational projects. These projects will bring investment to the state to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore and create employment opportunities for over two lakh skilled and unskilled workforce, government officials said. The Centre has approved centres of research, a bulk drug park, a plastic park and massive investment in RCF (Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited) for production of fertilizers. At a time when the country needs over eight lakh plastics engineers, the state’s progress in the field of plastics and drugs will be beneficial to create an additional pool of the much-required human resource.
“As Narendra Modiji celebrates two years of his government, the Central government has been very kind to Maharashtra to offer many institutes and immense employment opportunities to the people here. Especially in Aurangabad, the capacity of existing CIPET (Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology) will be increased by almost 30%. To add to it, a Bulk Drug Park will also be set up there,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here.
In a meeting held between the state government and two Union ministers, it was decided to start another CIPET at Jalgaon. In the field of plastics engineering, CIPET has the status of a regional engineering college. “Today, the country needs eight lakh such engineers. But we currently have only 65,000 plastics engineers. By setting up more CIPETS, we will ensure employability to more youth,” Fadnavis said. Another CIPET is to be set up in Vidarbha’s Chandrapur district, which is Naxal-affected; 15 acres of land have been allocated for it.
Fadnavis’ home constituency, Nagpur, alone is set to receive investment of over Rs 600 crore with the setting up of a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, and medical devices park. The Central government plans to open two more NIPERs in other parts of the country. “The government had already taken a decision about opening an NIPER in Nagpur. But in this meeting, 100 acres of land was allocated for the purpose. A team of Union government will visit Nagpur next week to finalise the location,” Fadnavis said.
A Medical Devices Park to be spread over 100 acres of land, has been planned to manufacture more medical devices to curb the cost of their imports. “The park will manufacture all medical devices from the stents required in heart surgeries to other material. This will ensure cheap and easy availability of domestically made equipment,” he said.
Even western Maharashtra has been allocated a CIPET. It will be located in Pune. Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, which is also situated in Pune, will see a massive revival plan to be drawn and implemented by the Central government. “We will help monetisation of the land. MHADA will buy some land there. The entire HAL will be revived,” he said.
The plastic park envisioned at Jalgaon will be spread over 100 acres. The proposal has been sanctioned by the Central government. It will require an investment of Rs 1,000 crore, and will generate employment opportunity for one lakh people, officials said.
The Bulk Drug Park envisioned in Aurangabad district in Marathwada, will encourage the domestic production of bulk drugs.
The Central government also plans to open 100 generic drugstores in Maharashtra. For that purpose, it will grant a subsidy of Rs 2.5 lakh to persons who want to set up the stores. “Under Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Yojana, we intend to open 300 generic medical stores in the country. One hundred of them will be set up in Maharashtra. Most of them will come up on the premises of government medical colleges,” Union Minister Ananth Kumar said.
The RCF situated at Thal in Konkan will see an investment of Rs 6,000 crore by the Central government for kick-starting its third unit. The facility will generate 13 lakh tonnes urea and fertilizer.
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