Deputy CMs ‘vie’ for Adar Poonawala’s investment
The award ceremony to felicitate the “best industrialists of Maharashtra” was held at the JIO World Convention Centre at BKC on Sunday. The state government conferred the Udyog Mitra award comprising ₹15 lakh, a trophy and a citation on Adar Poonawala at the hands of Governor Ramesh Bais
Mumbai: Two deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, ‘wooed’ Adar Poonawala, winner of the state government’s first ‘Udyog Mitra’ award, to get him to invest in their respective regions. When Poonawala, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, declared in his speech that he preferred Maharashtra for his all future investments, Ajit Pawar promptly promoted Pune while Fadnavis batted for Vidarbha and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.
The award ceremony to felicitate the “best industrialists of Maharashtra” was held at the JIO World Convention Centre at BKC on Sunday. The state government conferred the Udyog Mitra award comprising ₹15 lakh, a trophy and a citation on Adar Poonawala at the hands of Governor Ramesh Bais.
The best female entrepreneur award went to Gauri Kirloskar, managing director of Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd while the best Marathi entrepreneur award was conferred on Vilas Shinde, CMD, Sahyadri Farms. Chairman Emeritus of the Tata group Ratan Tata was honoured with the first Udyog Ratna award, which was presented to him on Saturday at his residence by chief minister Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis.
After accepting the award, Adar Poonawala in his speech lauded Maharashtra as the number one destination for industry due to the policies of the government and the state’s high-quality and hardworking manpower. “Many states invite us to invest,” he said. “But I reply that I am happy in Maharashtra. The policies of the state government are good and the work culture and manpower are suitable. So I would prefer Maharashtra for all investments and expansions in future.”
Responding to the announcement by Poonawala, DCMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis started ‘vying’ for investments. Ajit Pawar, who is from Pune, said that the Serum Institute was established and nurtured in Pune, and Poonawala should stick to Pune for future investments. Ribbing him, Fadnavis said, “I thought Ajit Pawar would invite Poonawala to invest in Baramati (Ajit’s constituency in Pune district) but at least he spoke about Pune. However, I would like to tell Poonawala that thanks to the Samruddhi express highway, Mumbai is now connected to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Vidarbha. So Poonawala can think about these places for his future investments.”
The humour by the two DCMs elicited laughter from the audience. CM Shinde, however, responded with full solemnity to Poonawala’s statement, saying that it showed his confidence in the state and the policies of the state government. The CM also thanked Ratan Tata for accepting the Udyog Ratna award, and said this had increased the prestige of the award. He also assured industrialists that his government would work to ease compliance norms for industry.