|
1st
Round-Table with Shri Gopinathrao Munde
on “ Mahrashtra Economic & Industrial Challenges”
10th
August 2007 at Cricket Club of India
 
Mr.
Nandkishor Kagliwal, welcoming the guests.
Others from L to R are :
Mr. Vithal Kamat, Vice-President, MEDC,
Mr. Gopinathrao Munde,
Mr. Shamrao Chougule, Vice-President, MEDC |
Mr.
Gopinathrao Munde, addressing the audience |
MEDC
organized an special interactive meeting on “Mahrashtra
Economic & Industrial Challenges” on 10th August 2007
at CCI. Mr. Nandkishor Kagliwal, President
MEDC welcomed the distinguished speaker.
Shri Gopinathrao Munde flagged issues like
Agriculture and Power situation, present and future scenario
along with the problems and some ways to tackle these problems.
Shri Gopinathrao Munde gave an out line of
the state’s Electricity and Agriculture demand. He said that
Maharashtra, the most industrialized state in the country, has
a power shortfall of 5500 MW. In agriculture sector the agricultural
demand on electricity is seasonal but a must. He said there
is a huge difference in supply and demand of Electricity.
MOU with government has been done and 10 Power projects were
passed out of which 10,000 MW was expected. 2 years have been
passed after signing but no further development is seen just
because of electricity available was less.
1/3 Budget of Maharashtra was for Electricity but from past
3-4 years 1000 – 1200 cr was not given because of electricity
problems.
In Enron Project – Enron was to supply 2100 MW out which 700
MW was in first phase and 1400 MW was to be supplied in the
second phase of the project. Enron has already spent Rs 500
Cr for this project. Gas, which is being supplied from Gujarat,
is also not sufficient for this project.
Maharashtra generates electricity on coal and this would be
sufficient only for a period of 35 years and after that any
alternative has to be suggested i.e., Power situation has to
be checked and it should be pre planned instead of planning
it after the situation arises. Industries should come forward
to support and tackle such an issue. When we compare the Tariff
paid by the Industries for electricity with other countries
its high but its low among others in India. Steel Industry will
be more affected, as it is one of the industries, which consumes
more power.
Mahrashtra, U.P., Gujarat and Rajasthan have come up with new
power projects. Government should make some policy to make such
projects viable.
India should Import coal for less price, again Ethanol can also
be looked into for alternative. After investing 2000 Cr 20%
fuel can be utilized to generate electricity and can also be
used as a fuel along with petrol for the vehicles.
Maharashtra has 174 sugar factories they can come up with power
projects so that 2000 MW of electricity can be made from the
baggas. The only problem in making these projects viable is
because of the lack of the Equity with the sugar factories and
that is where these power project ideas are stuck up. Joint
Ventures should be made and private and corporate industries
should come and support such projects.
There are number of Dams in Maharashtra and small power projects
can be made through canals and around 2000 MW can be generated
from the same. Similarly, at night electricity should be utilized
to take water up at the heights and same water can be used at
peak period to generate electricity which can then be used.
Agriculture:
Farming should be made viable so that farmers will not come
to cities and hence the present alarming urbanization can be
stopped. Almost 15% of the population works for 6 months in
the villages and rest they go out of their villages in search
of some work.
More than 30% of the land is under Non Agriculture land where
water can be planned and the same can be made productive, 16%
of land in maharashtra can be possible by planning water itself
rest 14% of potential land is still lagging behind which needs
to be targeted.
The present scenario of farmers committing suicides will not
stop until the farming/farms are made Economically viable. Nobody
is ready to invest in capital in farms, the old approach has
to be changed and modern technology should be adopted.
4 Agricultural Institutes in Maharashtra has to be consulted
and their suggestion has to be implemented and taken into account.
Almost 95% of farmers don’t have their own lands and even if
they have then it would be either the piece of land and not
the whole on which he works, Agriculture will be viable only
if they have their own land.
Proper Crop planning has to be done which is lagging also Pre
planning has to be done which no farmer is looking at and it
has to be brought in.
Co operative and Corporate Farming is the only solution.
Israel University experiments are made practical which is not
being done in Maharashtra even after having 4 valuable agriculture
colleges and this has to be taken into account and looked into.
Universities have 1000 acres of land, which is of no use now
these lands should be put into actual practices. Green houses
to be made which can be a solution for less water utilization
especially in places where water is scarce.
After the farmer grows the crop there is no further experiments
made on the grown part for example in case of sugarcane after
extracting sugar the baggase left out can be used further for
producing power, such topics has to be tackled and subsidy should
be given so that these kind of projects will start and become
viable.
Constant and Quality supply has to be done then only Mahrashtra
will go ahead in the world agriculture competition for example
constant Onion export should be started like Mangoes.
The meeting concluded with a Vote of thanks by Mr. Vithal Kamat,
Vice-President, MEDC.
|
