Maharashtra: Many industrialists eager to set up plants in Gadchiroli, says CM Eknath Shinde

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Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde Monday said that many industrialists are eager to set up plants in Gadchiroli, a place which once evoked fear due to the menace of Left Wing Extremism.

Speaking at the 'muhurat' of a film on his mentor Anand Dighe, Shinde said one industrial house has set up a skill development centre in Gadchiroli and it will train around 5,000 people to create job opportunities.

Some 10,000 people are employed in the Surajgad mines project and his government has got a request for the setting up of a steel plant that will give jobs to at least 20,000 persons, news wire PTI reported. "At least 10 to 12 industrialists are eager to set up plants in Gadchiroli. These plans are in the pipeline," Shinde said.

Referring to the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway, which is operational between Vidarbha's largest city and Nashik, the CM said all efforts were being taken to make the route accident free.

So far, more than 50 lakh vehicles have used the route, he added.

Speaking at the 'muhurat' of "Dharamveer-2", the second part of a biopic on Dighe, a hugely popular Shiv Sena leader in the Thane belt, Shinde, without naming anyone, said some people did not like the way certain events were depicted in the first part titled "Dharamveer Mukkam Post".

However, circumstances are such now that whether one likes it or not "we are the deciding authority", he asserted.

"Ours is the full and final decision and we are going ahead with what we feel is right," Shinde said.

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Dighe, a firebrand leader, ran the Shiv Sena in the Thane-Palghar belt and adjoining areas in his own way and enjoyed a massive following among people and unflinching loyalty from leaders here.

Thanking the actors and artistes who contributed for the first part, which released in May last year, Shinde said it had enhanced the popularity of Dighe worldwide and had also won 17 awards.

Multiple films will have to be made to encompass all the achievements of the late leader, Shinde claimed.

Shinde said he was walking on the path shown by Dighe and Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray and was ensuring his government used "satta, sampati aur adhikaar" (government, wealth and power) for the benefit of citizens.

Recalling that Dighe had donate a silver brick for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the CM said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had kept his promise and the grand place of worship will be inaugurated on January 22.

"We will all be present there on the occasion," Shinde said.

The Shiv Sena split in June last year after Shinde rebelled against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Shinde became CM with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party and his faction also got the party name and the 'bow and arrow' symbol.

The Shinde-led Sena gives pride of place to Dighe on all its posters and at events and marks important days related to the late leader at Anand Ashram, the undivided Sena's main office in Thane. (With inputs from PTI)