Maha attracted investments even during COVID-19 crisis: Guv

Maharashtra faced a financialblow during the COVID-19 crisis, but the Maha Vikas Aghadi(MVA) government took different measures to come out of thesituation, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari said on Tuesday.

Addressing a programme in Marathi at the Shivaji Parkhere to mark the 72nd Republic Day, Koshyari said Maharashtraremained at the forefront of attracting investments andemployment generation even during the adverse situation ofCOVID-19 crisis.

He hailed the government machinery for working ''dayand night'' hand-in-hand with the state's health apparatus, andsaid that is why people welcomed the New Year with ''a positivebeginning and lots of hope''.

The governor also urged people to exhibit the ''samecourage'' shown during the COVID-19 crisis and remain alertabout health by adopting a new lifestyle with self-discipline.

He also said the state government declared 808 acresof area in the Aarey Colony in Mumbai as a reserved forest tocurb pollution in Mumbai.

''Though we faced calamities like COVID-19, hailstorm,cyclone Nisarg, untimely rains and bird flu, we are marchingahead in all sectors. During the COVID-19 crisis, the statereceived a financial blow, but my government took differentmeasures to come out of this situation,'' he said.

''We are combating all these calamities with might anddetermination, and I am confident that we will keep thetradition of development of Maharashtra by converting calamityinto opportunity,'' he said.

Koshyari noted that the number COVID-19 patients hascome down, but said people need to remain vigilant.

The governor stressed on giving utmost priority tomaintaining social distance, wearing masks and washing handsregularly.

He said the government implemented its 'My Family MyResponsibility' campaign successfully by creating awarenessamong citizens.

The state government has given benefit of Rs 20,000crore to the 30 lakh registered farmers under its MahatmaJyotirao Phule farmers' loan waiver scheme during the periodof one year, he said.

The government has launched a campaign of 'whatever issold would be cultivated' for farmers and under theinitiative, projects of developing district-wise and crop-wise1,345 value chains are being implemented, he said.

''I am also happy to mention that the state governmenthas purchased cotton to the extent which is a record in thelast 10 years. For the first time, this year, my governmentpurchased un-milled food-grains during the Rabi season,'' thegovernor said.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the government reduced theprice of 'Shiv Bhojan' lunch plate to just Rs 5.

There are over 900 Shiv Bhojan centres madefunctional in the state and more than 2.5 crore needy peoplehave benefitted from the scheme, Koshyari said.

He said Maharashtra remained at the forefront ofattracting investment and employment generation even duringthe adverse situation of COVID-19 crisis.

The state attracted investments worth Rs 2 lakh croreby inking memorandum of understanding (MoU) with variousleading companies and through foreign direct investment underthe 'Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0' initiative, he said.

''Employment generation for 2,53,880 people will bethere through this investment and it is a big achievement ofmy government,'' he said.

The governor also said that the government provided afinancial assistance of Rs 5,000 to more than 10 lakhconstruction and Mathadi workers during the lockdown period.

Shelter homes and meals were provided to labourers whohad to migrate due to the lockdown and workers from otherstates, he said.

On the issue of women's safety, Koshyari said thegovernment has prepared Shakti bill, and added that it iscreating the first separate women's battalion in the StateReserved Police Force.

He said work on the coastal road, that will connectMumbai island city to western suburbs, is going on in a''speedy'' manner.

''The Metro services in cities of Mumbai, Pune andNagpur will soon become functional so that it will help reducethe pressure on local train service,'' he said.

The 'Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb ThackerayMaharashtra Prosperity' highway corridor, joining variousdistricts of Maharashtra, will also become functional soon,the governor said, adding the stretch between Nagpur andShirdi on this corridor will be opened for traffic soon.

The governor said that the state government declared808 acres of area from Aarey Colony as a reserved forest tocurb growing pollution in Mumbai.

''It is worth to mention that we have declaredKanhargaon in Chandrapur district as a sanctuary. Kanhargaonhas become the 50th sanctuary in the state and a nod has beengiven to 10 new reserved areas for conservation,'' he added.

The governor said the government's decision ofreducing stamp duty for house purchase has helped revive theconstruction sector and in addition helped bring the stateeconomy to normalcy.

''During the period of four months between Septemberand December last year, property registration has increased by48 per cent while revenue has increased by Rs 367 crore,compared to previous year of 2019 for the same period,'' hesaid.

The government has made changes in the 7/12 extractfor the first time after eight decades, Koshyari said.

''Twelve changes like water mark, unique code willresult in curbing the irregularities in land matters,'' headded.