Plan to boost MSME to tackle joblessness: Sudhir Mungantiwar

State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, who will present Maharashtra's last budget on June 18 before the state goes to polls, has reiterated that the economy is in good health. In an interview with DNA, he also stated that the "state is drawing a development roadmap to achieve a $1 trillion dollar economy target by 2025".

"The state government has been consistently working to boost the gross state domestic product (GSDP), per capita income, investments, infrastructure development and reduce the debt burden and income inequality. Despite this, nearly 3.5 crore people are still living in miserable conditions and the government aims to improve their conditions. Our focus will be on agriculture, education, health, development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and infrastructure development," said Mungantiwar, in a curtain-raiser to the upcoming budget.

He added that the state intends to tackle joblessness by increasing its focus on MSME's growth in the state. "Currently, 58 lakh people are employed in the MSME alone. It will be the state's endeavour to boost MSME growth and the government has already put in place a comprehensive policy," he said.

The minister also attempted to dispel the myth that the state's economy is in a poor condition with a debt of Rs 4.5 lakh crore and a burgeoning revenue deficit.