Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Hits Back At Sharad Pawar Over Maharashtra’s ‘36,211 Closed Companies’ Claim, Says 76% Were Defunct

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday responded to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s concerns over the closure of thousands of companies in the state, arguing that the figure of 36,211 companies being 'closed' does not reflect the actual industrial situation in Maharashtra.

In a detailed post addressed to Pawar, Fadnavis said the data cited in Parliament had been presented without the wider context and claimed that around 76 per cent of the companies listed as closed were “defunct” entities that had never commenced operations.

Fadnavis said more than 31 lakh companies are registered across India, of which around 21 lakh are currently active. According to the figures cited by him, the number of active companies in the country increased from 6,78,768 in 2015-16 to 21,17,747 as of June 2026, representing more than a threefold rise over the decade.

Maharashtra Has Highest No. Of Registered Companies: Fadnavis

He further said Maharashtra continues to have the highest number of registered companies in the country. As of June 3, 2026, the state had 3,96,211 companies, followed by Delhi with 2,72,342 and Uttar Pradesh with 1,85,982.

On companies that were removed from the register, Fadnavis said that, excluding the Covid period, an average of 20,000 to 22,000 companies are closed every year. He claimed that 76 per cent of such cases involved defunct companies, while around 12 per cent were due to amalgamation and 2 per cent involved dissolution.

He also pointed to a special exercise undertaken by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in 2019-20, during which around six lakh companies were struck off. Fadnavis argued that the figures therefore should not be interpreted as evidence that an equivalent number of functioning businesses had shut down.

The Chief Minister also highlighted new company registrations, saying around one lakh new companies are registered in India every year. Maharashtra, he said, continued to lead the country, with 41,525 new companies registered in 2025-26. Delhi recorded 20,272 registrations, while Uttar Pradesh registered 27,494, Karnataka 17,857, Tamil Nadu 17,024, Telangana 17,300, Gujarat 14,666 and West Bengal 10,598.

Pawar Raises Concerns After Chakan Companies Plan Relocation

Fadnavis' response came a day after Pawar raised concerns over industrial units allegedly planning to leave Maharashtra. Pawar had claimed that 20 companies in the Chakan industrial area had decided to relocate due to problems related to traffic congestion, pollution, water, electricity and roads. He said the companies employed more than 2,000 workers and urged the state government to intervene to protect jobs and retain industries.

Uday Samant Asked To Address Chakan Issue

Responding specifically to the Chakan issue, Fadnavis acknowledged that the industrial belt faced problems and said Industries Minister Uday Samant had been directed to address them. He said a meeting involving the district administration, Public Works Department, PMRDA, NHAI, Zilla Parishad and other agencies was held on August 12 to assess the problems.

According to Fadnavis, both short-term and long-term plans have been prepared to address the infrastructure-related concerns. He said the government's objective was to ensure that 'not a single industry' leaves the area.

Pawar, meanwhile, had urged the government to undertake urgent infrastructure development in Chakan, Talegaon and other industrial areas, resolve road and traffic issues, improve coordination between MIDC, PMRDA, PWD and NHAI and establish a dedicated mechanism to address entrepreneurs' concerns.

The exchange comes amid a broader political debate over Maharashtra's industrial environment, with Pawar questioning whether infrastructure deficiencies are prompting companies to relocate, while Fadnavis has maintained that Maharashtra remains the country's leading industrial destination and continues to attract investment.

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