Maharashtra to Become Toll-Free?

Hitting out at Opposition Congress for dubbing the state government as a "U-turn regime", Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that "toll-free Maharashtra" is a concept and not an election promise of the BJP.

Addressing a press conference, Fadnavis said the government was of the view that levy of high amount of toll should be scrapped. "But agreements are so one-sided that there is no buyback clause. We are in the process of probing such agreements. We are on the path for toll-free Maharashtra," Fadnavis said.

The chief minister blamed the previous Congress-NCP government for the spate of farmer suicides. "We inherited reins of the state which was in a bad shape due to misgovernance of 15 years. Due to the misdeeds of the previous government, industry, agriculture services sector, state went backwards," he said.

Fadnavis charged that there was policy, decision making and implementation paralysis during the last few years. The system was steeped in corruption, he added. "In the last 100 days, we have expedited decision making and positivity has been created," he added.

The chief minister said his government's focus has been decentralisation of power with accountability. "I have told the bureaucracy to take decisions which are transparent and bonafide. If this is done there is no need to worry," he said.

Fadnavis said in the last 15 years there have been no investment in agriculture sector and irrigation projects were not completed despite huge investment.

"Such ineffectiveness is the reason for hardship caused to farmers," he added.

Fadnavis also said his government has given proposal to Archaeological Survey of India for partnership to preserve and restore historical forts in the state.

He said he has given 4 FSI for cluster development in Mumbai and 2.5 FSI in Navi Mumbai for dilapidated buildings' redevelopment.

"Challenges are huge and we are tackling it positively," he said.