Competition should be about facilities, not concessions to investors: Maha CM

There should be healthycompetition between states in offering facilities and not inconcessions in land or electricity rates to attractinvestment, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saidon Saturday.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of the governing councilof Niti Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he alsoflagged climate change's impact on the farm sector and calledfor changes in the Centre's crop insurance scheme.

''Some states offer concessions regarding electrictyrates or land prices (to investors). Bargaining takesplace...There should certainly be competition but it shouldnot be economic, in terms of concessions. There should behealthy competition in offering administrative efficiency andfacilities,'' he said.

The Union government should frame certain criteriaabout investment and consideration should be given not only to the amount of money that is going to be invested but also tohow much employment it would generate, Thakckeray said.

''We need to say `Jai Kamgar' (victory to workers)apart from Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan. Industrial developmentshould be counted in terms of employment it generates and notjust the amount invested,'' he said.

''Our competition should be with other countries andnot amongst ourselves,'' Thackeray added.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Maharashtra signedMoUs for investment worth Rs 1 lakh crore in the last oneyear, the chief minister said.

Highlighting the impact of climate change onagriculture, he said farmers bear its maximum brunt.

The Centre should seriously look into the issue ofmeagre compensation given to farmers by insurance companies,and the damage caused by unseasonal rains should also qualifyfor compensation, Thackeray said.

He called for changes in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojna, saying the insurance firms are making huge profits butthe farmers are not getting much relief. Excess profits ofinsurance companies should go back to the government, he said.

''Rules about profit and loss of insurance firms shouldbe revisited,'' Thackeray added.

Some parts of Maharashtra experienced hailstorms andunseasonal rains recently which damaged standing crops, hepointed out.

The Centre should formulate a policy for agriculturewhich should factor in climate change, Thackeray said.

The chief minister also sought the Centre'sassistance for developing ports in Konkan and encouragingfisheries while asserting that he was against development atthe cost of environment.

His government learnt a positive lesson from thecoronavirus pandemic which was to ensure that Internet reachesevery nook and corner of the state, Thackeray said.

Though the Centre has undertaken BharatNet initiativeto spread connectivity, Internet has not yet reached over2,500 villages in remote areas of Maharashtra, and this shouldbe looked into, he said.