In a bid to further push investments and infrastructure development, the Maharashtra Government on Thursday announced the establishment of the Aurangabad Metropolitan Region Development Authority (AMRDA) on the lines of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Authority (MMRDA). This is expected to boost growth in the underdeveloped Marathwada region. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray made this announcement on the occasion of Marathwada Liberation Day which is celebrated today.
Thackeray’s announcement is crucial as despite a slew of incentives and packages announced by the successive government Aurangabad Division comprising Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani continues to remain backward on a number of key development parameters. The government hopes to attract investments and boost development after the Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) being developed on 10,000 acres under the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor becomes fully functional.
State Government sources said the establishment of AMRDA will be complementary to AURIC and other such initiatives so that the region’s growth touches a new high. Sources said Aurangabad, which has been a tourism capital of Maharashtra, will also get a push to further develop tourism and attract more domestic and international tourists.
Further, Thackeray said the government will also focus on the completion of pending development projects in Marathwada so that the region remains free of drought. In his virtual address on the occasion of Marathwada Liberation Day, he noted, "There were hurdles in the development of Marathwada. The region has seen drought earlier but fortunately, rains are good this time. Attention will be paid towards completion of pending projects in the region so that it is not hit by drought again."
He reiterated that the government will think of boosting the development of Aurangabad city through a development authority, he added.
