Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg, connecting JNPT in Mumbai and MIHAN in Nagpur, might be a game-changer for Maharashtra. This project will shorten the commute time from 18 hours to 8 hours. Samruddhi Mahamarg could be for Maharashtra what the Golden Quadrilateral has been for India. This super expressway, undoubtedly, will create new opportunities.
The Free Press Journal in association with MSRDC (Maharashtra State Road Development Corportion) will discuss new opportunities and challenges that the Samruddhi project will throw up. These discussions will take place through a four part webinar series to be held from December 8 to December 11.
The first webinar will talk about the Samruddhi project itself. The others will deal with agro-processing zones, industrial clusters & smart cities, education and skill development – all of which are likely to be game changers for a resurgent Maharashtra.
Details of the series
8 December from 3 to 4:15 pm
Topic: Samruddhi
Panellists: Radheshyam Mopalwar, VC & Managing Director, MSRDC; Vijay Waghmare, Joint Managing Director, MSRDC; and Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Joint Managing Director, MSRDC
9 December from 3 to 4:15 pm
Topic: Agro-processing zones and value-adding agriculture
Panellists: Deepak Taware, CMD, Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation; Arun Raste, Executive Director, National Dairy Development Board; and Sachin Sharma, GM & Head- Channel Operations, ITC
10 December from 12 to 1:15 pm
Topic: Industrial clusters, township and IT
Panellists: Venugopal Reddy, Principal Secretary (Industries), Maharashtra Government; Carlos Rojas- Arbulú, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai; Tej Paul Bhatla, VP & Head Public Services Business India, TCS; and Mohit Bhasin, Partner and Lead, KPMG
11 December from 3 to 4:15 pm
Topic: Education, skill development and jobs
Panellists: Sujata Saunik, Additional Chief Secretary at Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Maharashtra Government; Ramesh Bhat, officiating VC and Dean Management studies, NMIMS University; and Lim Boon Tiong, COO, ITEES, Singapore
The first (Samruddhi) session will highlight the journey of the project and how it will change the lives of the people of Maharashtra. 24 of the 36 districts in Maharashtra will be connected through this fast-track network. So, understanding this project will be very vital.
The second session ‘Agro-processing zones and value-adding agriculture’ will be around 19 plus new towns (Krishi Samruddhi Nagar), equipped with modern amenities, and agro-based industries. MSRDC has been appointed as a New Town Development Authority (NDTA) for the development and growth of nodes, which is also coined as ‘Krushi Samruddhi Nagar.’
‘Industrial clusters, township and IT’ will be the third webinar. It will go beyond agro-based industries. It will include opportunities in other industries and townships. These towns will offer great opportunities in terms of better agro-based industrial production, trade, smart cities and commercial facilities.
When industries open there will be a need for talent, to fill up the newly created job opportunities. Most of the people will be from areas in the neighbourhood. There will be a need for better education – both schools and colleges, and skill development centres – to exploit the potential that is there is a very young and aspirational population. Some jobs will relate to agriculture, some to new businesses and city management. These will be the concepts that are likely to be discussed during the last session ‘Jobs and skill development’.
