Mumbai: After losing the $20 billion Vedanta Foxconn semiconductor project to Gujarat and building a drug project and medical device project to other states, Maharashtra has lost a Rs 22,000 crore project by Tata-Airbus to manufacture the C-295 transport aircraft to Gujarat.
The Free Press Journal broke the Shinde Fadnavis government’s efforts to lure Tata-Airbus to set up the venture in MIHAN (Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport).
Shinde-Fadnavis government fails to attract investors again
The industry minister Uday Samant in September had said that the C-295 transport aircraft project will come up in MIHAN. However, the Shinde-Fadnavis government has failed to attract the project despite claiming the double engine government in the state.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were supposed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention so that the state gets the Tata Airbus project in Maharashtra. However, the meeting did not happen and before Maharashtra could step up the BJP led government in Gujarat succeeded in hitting the jackpot, especially ahead of the upcoming assembly elections there.
Hours after the defence secretary’s announcement, the ruling and opposition parties engaged in a war of words. Industry Minister Mr Uday Samant told the Free Press Journal, ’’Gujarat and Telangana were two states who were at the forefront to get the project. Maharashtra was not in the reckoning. When Mr Devendra Fadnavis was leader of the opposition during the MVA government, he had talked to national advisor Mr Ajit Doval, making a strong pitch for Maharashtra.’’ He passed the buck on the MVA government for not making enough efforts to attract the project in the state.
Mr Samant last month had said, ‘’Maharashtra has existing defence hubs at Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad and Ahmednagar. There is an emerging aerospace hub at Nagpur with the presence of companies such as Boeing, solar industries and BrahMos Aerospace. The Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport (MIHAN) special economic zone at Nagpur can be an ideal project site with necessary ecosystem.’’ He further said that the state government ‘s package scheme of incentives offers maximum flexibility compared to any other state in designing an incentive package based on three factors-size of the unit, location of the unit and the employment generated.’’ But today he has decided to pass the buck on MVA.
Aaditya Thackeray lashes out at Shinde-Fadnavis government
However, former minister Mr Aaditya Thackeray lashed out at the Shinde Fadnavis government for the loss of the mega project to Gujarat. In a scathing tweet, Aaditya said, ‘’Another project! I have voiced this since July, asking Khoke Sarkar to try for it. I wonder why every project is going to other states in the last 3 months. Loss of faith in khoke sarkar is evident on industry level. Will the industry minister resign after losing 4 projects?’’ Aaditya reminded that he and former industry minister Mr Subhash Desai during their two meetings with the Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran had pressed for the project to be set up in Maharashtra.
The state NCP chief spokesman Mr Mahesh Tapase demanded that Chief Minister Mr Eknath Shinde should resign on the lines of UK PM Liz Truss for his failure to protect Maharashtra’s interest.
The state BJP chief spokesman Keshav Upadhyay refuted the opposition’s charges and dared the MVA partners to show communication, if any, sent by the previous government to the Tatas for getting the project in Maharashtra. ‘’Criticising the Shiv Sena BJP government now is the MVA’s attempt to cover up its sin. The agreement between Airbus and Tata was cleared by the security committee. The MoU was signed with the defence ministry in September 2021. However, since then, no letter was sent by the MVA government or any follow up made for the project to come up in Maharashtra,’’ he noted.
Project eligible for up to 100% of their fixed capital investment
However, the papers assessed by the Free Press Journal shows that the Ultra mega and mega projects such as the Tata Airbus project is eligible for up to 100 per cent of their fixed capital investment with a customised package of incentives approved by a high Powered Committee (HPC). Anchor units in industrial areas are provided with land at 75 per cent prevailing rate in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas in A and B category and 50 per cent prevailing rate in MIDC areas in other locations subject to a maximum of 100 acres,’’ said the officer.
According to the Maharashtra Aerospace and Defence Policy 2018-22, the government will provide assistance to R&D activities with up to 50 per cent of project cost subject to maximum Rs 10 crore and an additional floor space index of 0.5 to R&D units. Up to Rs 15 crore will be provided for the common facility center from the Rs 300 crore fund created by MIDC.
