The Maharashtra government, in a bid to attract investments post COVID-19 from China, Taiwan, US, Japan, Germany, South Korea and UK, has put in place the ‘plug and play’ model, wherein the investors will be provided ready to move in land at an affordable cost, all permissions will be issued from a single green channel, and production will be kick started in the shortest possible time. The government has identified about 2,500 companies from these countries with an investment potential of Rs 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh crore in multiple sectors, including manufacturing, IT, logistics, manufacturing, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, food processing, textile and technical textile and gems and jewellery.
Industry Minister Subhash Desai told FPJ, “Under the plug and play model, investors will be provided land with ready made sheds on lease rental, where they can install machines and start production in three months. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has nearly 60,000 acres of land, of which 30,000 acres is already in possession, while the balance is in various stages of acquisition. Of the 30,000 acre in MIDC’s possession, 25,000 acres can be given for the implementation of the plug and play model.'' He added that land is available in Raigad, Nashik, Aurangabad and a couple of other districts.
He informed that Maharashtra is the favoured investment destination and the government is quite confident to attract investments from China and other countries post COVID-19. There is good infrastructure, availability of skilled labour and land, and above all, the approvals will be granted in a seamless manner.
Desai said that his department has set up a task force comprising the industries secretary Venugopal Reddy, MIDC CEO P Anbalagan and development commissioner Harshdeep Kamble. It has already launched negotiations with the investors.
MIDC officer said the investors will need 2.5 to 5 acres of land, as they will be interested to take it on lease or lease rental basis post COVID-19. “MIDC will assign dedicated relationship officers for the completion of the sheds or helping the investor to complete the construction of the industrial unit under the plug and play model. The investors can get all the permissions within 24 hours,’’ he noted.
