Nagpur: The next steel city of the country will be coming up in Gadchiroli, once the most backward district of the state suffering from Naxalite violence. Country’s major private players in steel sector have committed to investment of Rs 50,000 crore there and a company has already started mining high quality iron ore, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in the state Assembly as the week-long winter session of the legislature concluded on Saturday. Fadnavis said his government was pledged to all-round development of the state.
The fast coming steel industry would transform the tribal district providing jobs top local youth. “The north Gadchiroli has already been freed of the Naxal problem and within three months the whole of the state would be rid of the left extremism. Recruitment of youngsters by the Naxals has already stopped in the district as they are preferring to join the police force. Moreover, the district is seeing massive infrastructure development with plans to start a new airport and connectivity with Samruddhi Mahamarg (expressway that connects Nagpur and Mumbai).
Replying to issues raised by members during the marathon, opposition-moved end-of-the session motion, Fadnavis said the new government led by him would ensure the progress and speedy completion of all projects started by the previous regime led by Eknath Shinde. Reeling out figures and facts of the initiatives taken up for the development of Vidarbha , he said the textile park set up at Amravati has attracted investment proposals from top textile brands who are to invest a total of RS 10,000 with a potential to generate 2 lakh jobs. He Also laid out road map for development of the state to touch areas that remained underdeveloped earlier.
The proposed Wainganga-Painganga river linking project which will bring 10 lakh acres of land under irrigation will be a boon for farmers of Vidabha and also spur industrial growth the region, said Fadnavis. The first tender has already been floated and the project should be completed in seven tears he said. He said the Gosikhurd irrigation project started in 1984 and has earned the dubious tag of an ‘unending project’ would finally be completed soon. The project has given new opportunities for water tourism at Ambora. The government is also taking up Rs 1900 Nag Nadi work where STPs would be set up to clean drainage water from Nagpur city that empties into Wainganga river on which the Gosikhurd dam is built.
In the state legislative council, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde also listed the development projects initiated in the last two and half years. However, large portion of his reply to the end of the session debate was marked by taunts and barbs targeting Uddhav Thackeray who was missing from the session after attending it for a day. He said the weak opposition failed to raise any issue effectively, yet the Fadnavis government realizing the high expectations from people after a record mandate it gave to the Mahayuti, has pledged to take the state on a new trajectory of faster-paced development. Fadnavis also informed that Jalna-Sambhajinagar belt was becoming the next industrial magnate while the coach factory at Latur in Marathwada would be producing Vande Bharat trains.
In the customary media briefing after the session ended, Fadnavis and Shinde were present. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was missing as he has already left for Beed, Parbhani tour where the political focus has suddenly shifted after a visit NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tour scheduled for Monday.
Fadnavis told media that 17 Bills were passed in the 6-day session which was packed with proceedings. Supplementary demand for over Rs 35000 crore were also cleared. The proposed Public Security Act to deal strictly with urban naxalism was sent to a joint curative committee of members of both the houses of the legislature. The 21-mrmber committee will be headed by Kamptee MLA and current state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule .
