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Fadnavis says govt. open to industry suggestions to boost Pune GCCs
The government has anticipated that Pune can face infrastructure and mobility constraints similar to those being experienced by the IT industry in Bengaluru if corrective measures are not taken in time
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Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that his government is open to policy interventions and tweaks suggested by the industry to address the concerns of global capability centres (GCCs).
Virtually addressing more than 25 GCC leaders and industry representatives at a brainstorming session titled ‘Why Not Pune?’, Fadnavis assured them that his government will take decisions on their suggestions and concerns at the earliest.
“Should you have any problems, or should you feel that some tweaks are needed in the policy or some new policy intervention is needed, let me tell you that we are absolutely open for such policy intervention,” Fadnavis said at the session organised by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
“Pune already has a strong ecosystem in manufacturing, technology and IT and is a very natural ecosystem for GCCs. We have already seen a lot of investment coming to GCCs in Pune. But now we want to structure it because we want to make Pune the GCC hub,” the CM said at the session organised to hear the concerns of GCC leaders and industry representatives, and explain the civic body’s plans to address infrastructure challenges, augment urban mobility and improve last-mile connectivity.
Maharashtra’s new GCC policy is dedicated to the requirements of such centres and is not merely an industrial policy because the government has understood the needs of GCCs; Fadnavis said.
The government has anticipated that Pune can face infrastructure and mobility constraints similar to those being experienced by the IT industry in Bengaluru if corrective measures are not taken in time, he said.
The government’s grand plan to make Pune a more liveable city is already being implemented, the CM continued while citing infrastructure projects, including the metro network, high-capacity mass transit route (HCMTR), ring road and second ring road besides tunnels. “We want Pune to move fast because we understand that mobility is something which creates ease of living. Pune’s talent pool is one of its key advantages to attract GCCs,” Fadnavis said.
The CM expressed hope that the ‘Why Not Pune?’ initiative will eventually lead to an ‘Only Pune’ sentiment among GCC investors.
PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, who led the ‘Why Not Pune?’ initiative said that the interaction is a first-of-its-kind brainstorming session with GCC leaders and industry experts centred around the question of why companies should choose the city.
“The first-of-its-kind brainstorming with GCC leaders and industry experts in Pune was centred around one question: ‘Why not Pune?’. The meeting focused on industry concerns and short- and long-term solutions related to infrastructure, urban mobility and last-mile connectivity,” he said.
The interaction will not be a one-time exercise as the PMC will continue dialogue with industry, Fadnavis said.
Urging companies not to leave Pune, Ram said that the administration is committed to addressing their concerns, adding that the CM’s vision is to make Pune one of the most important growth hubs in the country.
The PMC is launching a portal where industry representatives can put forth their suggestions and voice their concerns, he said.
The GCC members predominantly raised the issue of mobility and last-mile connectivity in the city and also flagged the road conditions and traffic.
PMC additional commissioners Pavneet Kaur and Omprakash Divate as well as city engineer Anirudh Pawaskar briefed the GCC leaders about various projects underway for mobility and improving last mile connectivity.
Pune mayor Manjusha Nagpure said that there could be delays in completing some infrastructure projects but stressed that the administration and elected representatives are working together to improve the city.
Sanjay Bajaj, senior managing director, JLL Group, who has been instrumental in bringing the GCC leaders together, said that the industry-administration dialogue is necessary to address the concerns of the industry.
“It is a first of its kind initiative where PMC and GCC leaders came together to discuss the short as well as long term solutions to the issues,” Fadnavis said.
