Creating an environment for growth in Maharashtra

It was like four pieces of a jigsaw puzzle fitting in perfectly at the end of the day.

The State Summit: Vision for a Global Maharashtra, organised by DNA and Zee 24 Taas on Saturday, had four well-structured sessions — on affordable housing, infrastructure, environment and power, respectively. What emerged by evening was a synergy among the four.

The Summit, organised on the occasion of the 50th year of the formation of the state of Maharashtra, was inaugurated by chief minister Ashok Chavan on Friday when eminent personalities were felicitated with the Maharashtra awards.

What emerged on Saturday was this: on affordable housing, the issue of the burden on the stretched infrastructure kept cropping up; on power, environment and affordability were primary concerns; on infrastructure, a development surcharge on housing activities around any mega project was lauded as a good move; and in the session on Green Maharashtra, growth of infrastructure but not at the cost of environment as well as the importance of clean and non-conventional energy were talking points.

One common thread through the day was the concern for ecology; there was a clear divide with a section expressing worry over global warming and calling for environment-friendly sustainable development and another hitting out at the “eco-terrorists” and the unrealistic laws governing environment norms to set up projects.

The other underlying thread in all the sessions was that all, irrespective of allegiances to a brand of politics or cause, wished for the all-round and holistic development of the state and Mumbai.

For instance, in the session on infrastructure, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) senior leader and minister for public works (public undertakings)  Jaidutt Kshirsagar  ridiculed “frivolous” PILs filed by activists against infrastructure projects. Gadkari even called for “bulldozing” to go ahead with infrastructure projects.

In the debate on the power scenario in the state, Dilip Walse-Patil, speaker in the state legislative assembly, rued the fact that while power was much sought after, no one wanted a project or power plant in the vicinity of their homes.

For all problems, solution from policy makers and captains of industry across sectors was simple: change antique laws, encourage environment-friendly sustainable development (or do not overdo eco concerns, from the other side of the divide), and ease bureaucratic hurdles.

Former chief minister Manohar Joshi urged the government to end vote-bank politics. “As head of the earlier Shiv Sena-BJP government, we had decided 1995 as the cut-off year to solve housing woes of those residing in slums. But, the new government extended the date to year 2000. Where are you going to get power and water for so many people?’’ said Joshi. “So, instead of making the city unliveable by granting higher FSI, the government should make a five-year plan to provide housing, and implement at least 50% of it. Make a rule restricting entry to Mumbai, not just for outsiders, but even for people within Maharashtra,” he said, adding the government could create exclusive special residential zones on the lines of special economic zones to improve quality of living. Suresh Shetty, minister of state for environment, was emphatic that development cannot be ignored. “Environment concerns go hand-in-hand with development,’’ said Shetty.

Beyond the serious issue of state and governance, light banter flowed through the day. For example, Joshi, an educationist before becoming a successful politician, could not resist chiding Rajan Jayakar, a well-known solicitor and a record holder of stamps on vintage Mumbai. Jayakar during his opening remarks had called Mumbai “Bombay” 28 times, as counted by Joshi. “I should fine you not Rs100 but 100 dollars for each of the 28 times you called Mumbai Bombay,’’ Joshi said.

During the Green Maharashtra session, Suresh Prabhu, former Union energy minister, had the gathering rolling with laughter. Activist Sudhir Badami, recounting his experience on writing to almost all the MPs and bureaucrats on prioritising Bus Rapid Transport System, said, “I got only one politician to respond but nothing from a bureaucrat. I can understand that, as a written reply by a bureaucrat would become a commitment.’’ To which, Prabhu said, “Are you then saying politicians are good in giving commitments?”

During the infrastructure session, Reliance Infrastructure’s CEO Lalit Jalan complained about the railway ministry sitting on approvals for permissions sought eight months ago for an overhead bridge at Andheri for the metro line. Gadkari laughed,
“Let me assure you, it would not come anytime soon. Such is the railway’s procedure, it would take years to get approval. I remember, as a public works department minister, I could not get the railway ministry’s approval even after meeting Mamata Banerjee, the then railway minister in the NDA government.’’