Maharashtra to be most attractive biz destination in India: CM

Looking to attract foreign investors to Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised them easier business environment and faster clearances as he works towards making his state the most preferred destination within India for investors.

"On one hand, we are improving the entire business atmosphere, on the other hand we are giving 24x7 electricity and water.

"I feel that in the changing environment, Maharashtra will be the most preferred destination for investors," Fadnavis told PTI in an interview at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meet.

Fadnavis, who was in Davos for three days to promote Maharashtra among investors and held a series of meetings with business and government leaders from across the world, said the entire atmosphere in India has changed since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.

"Now states are becoming more and more competitive. Following Make in India initiative of the Prime Minister, every state today wants that there should be 'make in their own state'.

"I have also announced 'Make in Maharashtra'. We are trying to improve ease of doing business so that investors get an ecosystem where this entire license-raj is done away with," he said.

"We have started in Maharashtra certain land reforms, reforms in giving permissions, we have automated certain licenses," Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister said that earlier, if a person wanted to set up an industry in Maharashtra it used to take him from 1-3 years, now it will be only few months.

"We have brought down the number of permissions required, we are bringing everything on a single IT platform.

"There are certain permissions that have been put on automated route wherein if a person does not get the permission in three days, it would deemed to be given," Fadnavis said.