State loses another project with potential for 80k jobs: Aaditya Thackeray

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, under Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, had written to the union government to set up a bulk drug park in Raigad

Mumbai Upping the ante on Vedanta-Foxconn shifting its proposed ₹1.54 lakh display fabrication and semiconductor chips project from Maharashtra to Gujarat, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday alleged that another project -- the bulk drug park -- which had the potential to create an equally huge employment possibility, would be set up elsewhere, instead of Raigad, Maharashtra, where it was proposed earlier.

Aaditya Thackeray called on the Shinde-Fadnavis government to clarify why the project had shifted from Maharashtra to Gujarat (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

“There is no reply from the regime about who will take responsibility for one lakh youth from Maharashtra being deprived of these jobs; around 70,000 to 80,000 jobs from the bulk drug park have also left,” said Thackeray on Wednesday. He added that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, under Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, had written to the union government to set up a bulk drug park in Raigad. Now, the centre has approved bulk drug parks in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

“Maharashtra was the first to make this demand. The state had the first right on it. It has been taken elsewhere,” he pointed out. He pointed out that Maharashtra has a 20 per cent share of pharmaceutical output in India and is the largest producer of vaccines; it has the highest number of USFDA-approved plants, robust supply chains and cold storages as well as access to port heads and exports. The state has 394 pharmaceutical colleges, which produces a strong talent pool.

Thackeray called on the Shinde-Fadnavis government to clarify why the project had shifted from Maharashtra to Gujarat. “In any other dispensation, the chief minister would have sought the resignation of the industries minister,” he added.

Thackeray then questioned if only those projects which went against the interests of Maharashtra were to be foisted on the state, adding that opinions of the locals must be taken on the ₹3,00,000 crore Nanar petrochemical refinery project in Konkan. This integrated refinery and petrochemical complex was being developed by a consortium of government-owned oil marketing companies and Saudi Aramco.

State industries minister Uday Samant responded to the allegations, saying he would soon make the information about projects shifting outside the state public, “especially those in the past two years”.

Thackeray also claimed that the Shinde government was trying to take credit for MVA’s plans to launch Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray scheme for 227 free healthcare centres in Mumbai. He accused the party of reneging on announcements such as giving dahi handi the status of an adventure sport and insurance for govindas.