State to come out with new industrial policy

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will soon come out with the new industrial policy which will be more pro-active and industrial friendly.

Speaking at the inauguration of international business conference on Maharashtra 'Vision 2010-strategies and action' organised by Maharashtra Economic Development Council (MEDC), Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh admitted that bio-technology would be the area of future development, which will be well supplemented by information  technology.

Denying the reports that Maharashtra was losing to other states like Karnataka and Hyderabad in IT sector, he said that in fact the IT growth was not confined to one particular city, but it was spreading all over the state.

'Mumbai-Pune-Nashik is always described as the golden triangle for all the development but the state wants to make it quadrangle by adding Aurangabad in this belt, which will help for the all-round development of the country,'' he added.

Admitting the grey areas in the state, the Chief Minister said the  state was still reeling under a shortfall of 4,000 MW in power, but assured that by 2008-09 the scenario would change.

Deshmukh said Maharashtra was the largest horticulture producing state and asked Union Food Processing Industry Minister Subodhkant Sahay, who was present at the function, to consider Maharashtra for the first food park.