For decades, Maharashtra was seen to be India's most progressive and well-administered state. But in the recent past, particularly after the Shiv Sena-BJP combine dislodged the Congress government in 1995, it is thought to have been sliding downwards. As a result, the debt burden, which stood at Rs 32,000 crore in 1999, now exceeds Rs 1.81 lakh crore. The new chief minister, Prithviraj Chavan, has to face a lot of challenges.
Till 1995, Maharashtra had a budget surplus. But it now pays well over Rs 20,000 crore every year as interest on loans. Even so, the state has seen steady increase in its per capita income, which rose from Rs 32,170 in 2005 to Rs 50,000 in 2010. It has also witnessed massive investments in industrial sector and developmental projects. But the positive is patchy because it is almost entirely concentrated in Sharad Pawar-controlled western Maharashtra. This is why backward Vidarbha and Marathwada regions remain shockingly undeveloped.
Vidarbha is now known as India's suicide capital. Maharashtra's industrial sector betrays patchy growth too. Investment is concentrated in the Pune-western Maharashtra belt. The state has underperformed on health and education as well with Vidarbha and northern Maharashtra known to have the most malnourished children in India.
— Prafulla Marpakwar
Read more: Bimaru to boom - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/Bimaru-to-boom/articleshow/7002575.cms#ixzz16XaftPPt
I have a personal view that if the present state of big state like maharashtra goes on and on in which the pune mumbai nasik region keep developing and Nagpur Region keep underdeveloped, it is in best view of people of Vidharba to have a separate state. what ever is the situation of the Nagpur belt after that no problem it will be due to the people in the vidharba state not due to people in pune.
This articles reminds me of the Dhabol Power Corporation Debacle, where BJP - Shivsena government did a totally unjustified Power Deal with DPC (Enron). Because of which the most successful SEB in India, MSEB went into Losses. The losses one in the small duration of "yuti-government" was so much that for 1-2 year more MSEB has to keep 1/2 500MW units at CSTPS Shut-Off and to buy power from DPC just to minimize the losses. As the "yuti-government" went away and Reliance became strong to sell their Gas in another markets the DPC Project Collapsed. At least here we can say "only the Truth will Truimp" (however late it may be. Cant't say much about other secotors, but yes the very strong Power Sector in Maharashtra got affected.
ReplyDeleteDifferent parts of India, have different stregths and weaknesses when it comes to Growth. The real growth is driven by the Businesses, however the government can give a direction by means of incentives to the business community, or get directed by strong business lobbies :-). Though government had initiated some good projects in Nagpur Region, like Butibori, 5 Star MIDC (Asia's biggest Industrial Place), MIHAN etc,, the projects did not yet take off well. This is basically due to the ignorance and the low mindset of people. Rather than looking at what government should do, or blaming politicians, we should see how the educated youth from Vidarbh Region can contribute to the Growth.
ReplyDeleteAnd when talk about Growth, me must see sustainbable growth. We must see Health Indices like HDIs and not only the per capita income. Due to the alraming pollution situation in Chandrapur Area, Environmental Factors are critical.