Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced that the state has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 3.53 lakh crore at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024 in Davos, Switzerland. These MoUs have the potential to create more than 2 lakh jobs in the state, according to a statement from the CM’s office.
Record-high investment agreements
Shinde thanked investors, noting the increased confidence of global industries that showed interest in investing Rs 1 lakh crore in Maharashtra. He said that the state’s image has been spotlighted as people-oriented with a strong emphasis on industrialisation, skilled manpower, and quick decision-making.
The first day of the Davos conference saw investment agreements worth Rs 1.02 lakh crore with six industries, with the potential to create 26,000 jobs. On January 17, the second day, agreements worth Rs 2.08 lakh crore were signed with eight industries, projecting 1.51 lakh job opportunities. The CM said that MoUs worth Rs 42,825 crore will be signed with six industries on January 18, which can create an additional 13,000 jobs.
Meetings with industry leaders
Shinde engaged in fruitful discussions with various industry groups at the Maharashtra Hall in Davos. Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the Adani Group, also met Shinde and they talked about the infrastructure sector in Maharashtra and potential investment opportunities.
A meeting was convened with senior industrialist Lakshmi Mittal to explore future investment cooperation. Simultaneously, discussions were held with Liechtenstein’s prince over industrial investments.
The CM also met with the chief policy officer, Thomas Coutaudier, and chief financial officer, Patrick Treuer, of French trading company Louis Dreyfus. They discussed industrial expansion in Maharashtra.
During a meeting with Shinde, South Korea’s Gyogni Province Governor Kim Dong Yeon I emphasised the importance of building a robust foundation in Maharashtra. The discussion highlighted the synergy between South Korea’s expertise in manufacturing and technology and India’s strength in skilled manpower.
David Krobok, chairman of Czech Republic-based Witkowitz Atomica Company, met with the CM to explore investment opportunities in small modular nuclear reactor technology.
Focus on tangible implementation
Highlighting the focus on tangible implementation, Shinde emphasised the acceleration of growth compared to last year. He said that the state government will ensure that the MoUs are not just on paper but are translated into actual projects on the ground.
He also said that Maharashtra will continue to attract more investments in various sectors such as infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, agriculture and services.