Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 23: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced plans to develop a mega chemical industry park near Vadhvan Port, with the state government proposing to allot 2,500 to 5,000 acres for the project and seeking approval from the Centre.
The announcement comes as Dahanu taluka, where the port is being developed, was once designated an ecologically sensitive area under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Speaking at the inauguration of India Chem 2026 in Goregaon, Fadnavis said the state government was preparing a separate policy to promote investment in the chemical industry, which would be announced in the first week of November.
“Vadhvan Port will give a big boost to the industrial development of the state. There is an opportunity to develop necessary infrastructure and industrial clusters for chemical industries in the vicinity of this port,” Fadnavis said.
He said the state government was working to attract large investments to Maharashtra under the Centre's Grand Chemical Park scheme.
Fadnavis added that efforts were being made to simplify the process of obtaining industrial permits and provide essential services through a single platform. Initiatives such as the Maitri one-stop platform and Invest Maharashtra were aimed at making it easier for industries to establish and expand their operations in the state.
The chief minister said the chemical industry currently provided employment to around three lakh people in Maharashtra, adding that there was potential to double employment opportunities in the sector.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers J P Nadda said the Centre had announced the Grand Chemical Park scheme in the Union Budget, with a financial allocation of Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre and Rs 500 crore from the state government. The scheme requires a minimum land area of 2,000 acres.
Nadda said the Centre would facilitate environmental clearances for the project. He added that the initiative was part of the government's Viksit Bharat vision and its goal of achieving a USD 1 trillion economy by 2040.
He further said the Centre had included the advanced chemicals and petrochemicals sector under its Rs 1 lakh crore research, development and innovation scheme.