Maharashtra Oppn Seeks Status of MoUs, Investments from Davos WEF

Mumbai, Jan 19 (PTI) The opposition on Friday targeted Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over the World Economic Forum in Davos and sought to know the tangible outcome of investments from MoUs inked last year at the economic carnival.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said memorandums of understanding inked with industrialists in Davos this year could have been signed in India itself and there was no need to go to the World Economic Forum for it.

Earlier, CM Shinde had said the state had inked MoUs worth Rs 3,53,675 crore at WEF.

"The MoUs signed with industrialists could have been done in Mumbai. There was zero work that took place in Davos," Thackeray said at a press conference.

Thackeray also alleged the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) was asked to report only Rs 20 crore as the expense incurred by the state for Davos and (apportion) the rest to other agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA).

Addressing a news conference, Anil Deshmukh of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party asked ministers to ensure these projects remain in Maharashtra and not go to Gujarat later. The opposition has often accused the Shinde government of losing major projects to the neighbouring BJP-ruled state.

"Last year, investments to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore were signed in Davos. We want to know how many MoUs have materialised or are in operation," Deshmukh asked.

The former Maharashtra home minister said claims were made by the chief minister last year that 2 lakhs jobs would be created due to these MoUs worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore and sought to know how many employment opportunities were actually created through them.

It has been more than 15 months since these MoUs were inked but those that materialised can be counted on the finger tips, Deshmukh claimed.

Thackeray also sought to know the outcome of the deals signed last year.

He claimed Rs 40 crore was spent last year by the state in 48 hours, but there was no significant outcome.