Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday described the state's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector as a key driver of economic growth, saying small businesses form the backbone of major industrial ecosystems. He made the remarks while witnessing the signing of MoUs with 49 MSMEs for the Chakan-Bhosri industrial hub in the Pune region.
The agreements are expected to bring fresh investment of Rs 2,320.97 crore into Maharashtra, with the projects aimed at increasing production capacity, creating thousands of jobs and strengthening Pune's automobile and engineering ecosystem. Fadnavis noted that MSMEs manufacture essential components and spare parts for larger industries while creating employment locally and reducing dependence on imported products.
To support more structured development, the state government has launched a comprehensive MSME Census to collect data on the number of small businesses, their operational scale, employment, infrastructure requirements and other needs. Fadnavis also assured that the 49 units covered by the latest agreements would receive faster assistance, with the companies targeting operationalisation within one to two years.
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The Chief Minister said the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and Industries Department had been instructed to speed up land allocation and provide basic utilities to the new units. He also announced plans to modernise older industrial areas that are 30 to 40 years old by developing them as autonomous “Industrial Cities”. A pilot project is planned in Pune district, with locally collected taxes proposed to be used for administration, cleanliness and infrastructure maintenance.
The announcements come after industrial units in the Chakan area raised concerns over poor roads, waste management, inadequate power infrastructure, missing streetlights and a shortage of truck terminals. Industry representatives had also pointed to bottlenecks created when wide MIDC roads narrowed into smaller approach roads, resulting in regular traffic congestion. Following the concerns, Fadnavis formed a 14-member committee headed by the Pune District Collector and Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner to oversee time-bound development and grievance redressal.
Industries Minister Uday Samant also rejected concerns about industrial units relocating outside Maharashtra and maintained that investor confidence in the state remained strong. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has separately visited the Chakan industrial area and supervised road repair works. The latest investment commitments, along with the proposed infrastructure measures, are aimed at strengthening the state's industrial base and supporting the expansion of MSMEs across Maharashtra.
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