Tesla proves state is top investment destination, says Samant

Samant was responding to a debate on the state’s performance on attracting investments, especially foreign direct investment

MUMBAI: American electric vehicle maker Tesla’s debut to India, which opened a showroom in Mumbai on Tuesday, served as a timely example for state industries minister Uday Samant, when replying to a debate in the state assembly on the investment scenario in Maharashtra.

Tesla Senior Regional Director Isabel Fan at the showroom in Bandra Kurla Complex (Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times)

“Tesla is an example to prove that the state is the most preferred destination when it comes to investment,” Samant declared, referring to the ‘experience centre’ at BKC, inaugurated by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Significantly, Tesla has not made any commitment to setting up manufacturing units anywhere in India, as yet.

Samant was responding to a debate on the state’s performance on attracting investments, especially foreign direct investment (FDI). The debate was initiated by the treasury benches in the state assembly on Tuesday.

Recalling the memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed in the last three years, he said Maharashtra is leagues ahead of other states in the conversion ratio of these MoUs turning into actual investments. “In Maharashtra, it is 80-85%, whereas in other states it is only 40-45%.”

He said the government is not only looking at investment from foreign countries but also promoting domestic entrepreneurs by holding district industrial conferences. “We have managed to get ₹1.2 lakh crore investment in other parts of the state and this figure has reached ₹2 lakh crore in two years,” he revealed.

Following the government backtracking on introducing Hindi as the third language in primary schools, Samant said the government would open mandals (committees) in various countries to ensure that Marathi will be spoken in 74 countries. “Currently, Marathi is spoken in 17 countries. We want it to be spoken in 74 countries, for which we are going to form mandals (committees) in other countries, to promote Marathi speaking,” the industries minister declared.

Samant declared that he would hold a World Marathi Conference in Nashik, and build a museum on Marathi literature. He also denied that the Marathi Bhasha Bhavan proposed at Girgaum had been scrapped, a charge made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.