Maharashtra has lost the Bulk Drug Park proposed to come up in coastal Raigad district to Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The project was actively pursued by the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. This is the second major loss after the $20 billion semiconductor project by Vedanta-Foxconn which will now come up in Gujarat and not in Maharashtra. The government had earmarked 5,000 acres of land in 17 villages in Roha and Murud taluka of Raigad district. The project envisaged an investment opportunity of Rs 30,000 crore and it was likely to provide employment to 75,000 people.
Yuva Sena chief and former minister Aaditya Thackeray, who was accompanied by former industry minister Subhash Desai, disclosed that ‘’After Vedanta- Foxconn loss, the Bulk Drug Park that had been meritoriously pursued by the MVA Government, has been lost to 3 States- Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh & Himachal Pradesh, by the current unconstitutional dispensation in our State, due to its lack of interest in development.’’ He further said, ‘’The semiconductor project and the Bulk Drug Park projects are great projects by the centre, proposed for our nation’s development. As the MVA we had pursued it and on merit, Maharashtra topped the race to bag the projects. Yet, this government lost it to other States.’’
Aaditya cited the statement issued by the Government of India to substantiate his claim that Maharashtra has lost the bulk drug park project. ‘’Centre grants in-principle approval of three but drug parks in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Another move towards making the country Atmanirbhar in Bulk Drugs. Three states to submit their detailed project report in next 90 days,’’ the GoI statement released on September 1. He reiterated that Maharashtra does not figure in the GoI’s statement that means the state has lost the project to three other states.
‘’Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had written a letter to the central government for the development in Raigad district while industry minister Subhash Desai brought the proposal in the cabinet. However, the central government has asked Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal regarding bulk drug parks,’’ he said, adding that the bulk drug park is expected to be developed in Bharuch in Gujarat.
As reported by the Free Press Journal, the MVA government had announced plans to develop a Bulk Drug Park in Raigad district and medical equipment complex in the AURIC City, Aurangabad. Together, the state government expects to attract an investment of Rs 25,000 crore. The government had said the development of these projects will give a major impetus to medical equipment as well as drug production in the state.
The government had proposed to spend Rs 2,500 crore on infrastructure development and related works to develop a Bulk Drug Park in Raigad district and another Rs 442 crore for a medical equipment complex in the AURIC City, Aurangabad. The state government had estimated to receive a central grant of Rs 1,000 crore for Bulk Drug Park and Rs 100 crore for the medical equipment complex.
The government had proposed to offer a slew of incentives for 5 years to the investors including a 100 percent refund of state goods and services tax for the investors, exemption in electricity charges up to the period of consumption of the grant, 100% stamp duty waiver for all purposes like purchase of land during the investment period, lease, mortgage for bank loan and electricity tariff concession Rs 1.5 per unit for 10 years.
