INDIAN STATE : MAHARASTRA

General information

The state of Maharashtra is located in the north centre of peninsular India with the Arabian Sea through its port at Mumbai and the Sahyadri range being the physical backbone. The state enjoys a tropical monsoon climate with the hot scorching summer from March onwards yields to the rainy monsoon in early June. The name Maharashtra means the 'The Great State' or 'Great Nation'. Maharashtra is the largest state in India, both in terms of area as well as population. Maharashtra spans 308000 sq. km. with a population over 78,937,000 and the state language being Marathi, and Mumbai being the state capital.

Maharashtra has always led the country's industrial development scenario and continues to attract the largest quantum of investments, both domestic and foreign. The State has established strengths in every sector including engineering, electronics hardware, automobiles and auto components, consumer durables, chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, information technology, and biotechnology. The state offers the finest in Infrastructure, excellent educational facilities, quality trained manpower, a professional work ethic and a conducive business environment.

Fact File

Geographical Area	3.08 (lakh sq. km)
Capital	Mumbai
Population (2001 Census)	In lakhs 968.79
Net State Domestic Product at Current Prices (2004-05)(As on Feb 2006)	3,28, 451 (Rs Crores) US$ 71.1972 bn
Per capita NSDP (state Income) at Current Prices for 2004-2005 (As on Feb 2006)	Rs 32170 (US$ 697.285)
Percentage of State Population to All India Population	9.42
Literacy Percentage Male Literacy· Female Literacy	76.88% 85.97% 67.03%
Principal Language	Marathi, English

Source: Economic Survey of Maharashtra (2005-06)

Advantage Maharashtra

• Maharashtra has led the country's industrial development scenario, in the past and continues to attract the largest quantum of investments, both on the domestic and foreign arena.
• The State has established strengths in every sector including Engineering, Electronics Hardware, Automobiles and Auto Components, Consumer Durables, Chemicals, Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Information Technology and Biotechnology.
• It offers a conducive business environment, excellent infrastructure support, quality trained manpower and professional work ethics.
  Ø The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is the pride of India and is well connected to the markets of Southern, Northern & Western India.
• Mumbai is considered the financial capital of India.
• The Mumbai international airport handles the largest traffic (Passenger and Cargo).
• The state of Maharashtra has surpassed the Tenth Five Year Plan target of 8.0 per cent GSDP growth. The annual average growth of GSDP is expected to be 8.4 per cent during first four years i.e. (2002-2006) of the Tenth Five Year Plan.
• There has been a continuous and subdued performance of 'Agriculture & Allied Activities' Sector over the last few years, which has reflected positively in the growth of the state's GSDP.
• Acceleration in the rate of growth of Agriculture can easily take Maharashtra to the growth rate of 10 per cent.
• The robust Industrial and Service Sectors growth have also been the driving force behind Maharashtra's commendable economic growth rate.
  Ø The largest share of public funds amongst any other States for development of industrial and social infrastructure - a hallmark of State policy.
• Contributes 22% of India's net value added in organized industrial sector. 40% of India's Internet users are in Maharashtra and the State accounts for around 30% of software exports.
• 70 percent of India's stock transactions are carried out in Mumbai, the State capital and commercial capital of India.
  

Economic Infrastructure

Aviation

Maharashtra has five domestic airports and one international airport at Mumbai. Most of these airports have regular connections through the Indian Airlines and other domestic airlines. Mumbai is the most connected international airport in India and most of the important international destinations are connected with this place. Maharashtra has domestic airports at Mumbai, Pune, Auranagabad, Nashik, Nagpur respectively and one International airport at Mumbai. The Mumbai airport is being modernized by private players and the GVK-South African Airports combine have bagged the airport project.

The Govt. of Maharashtra along with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India has taken the step of developing the existing airport at Nagpur to international Standards with the following features:

• International hub airport - 1200 Hectares
  
• An existing airport in the center of India with 3200 x 45 meters runway to be extended to 4000 x 60 meters to meet international standards.
  
• Provision for additional runway of 4000 x 60 meters in future.
  
• Ultimate space for parking 50 aircrafts in the terminal and 50 aircrafts remote.
  
• Provision for Aircraft Engineering and Maintenance base (MRO on 100 Hectares).
  
• Airport Terminal; a semi-circular terminal building of 3,00,000 sqm. to be developed in phases.
  
• The most conductive weather dynamics for an airport.
  

Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed on BOOT basis with public-private partnership. The salient features of this airport will be:

• Designed to accommodate the new large aircrafts compatible with 4-F aerodrome code.
  
• To be spread on 950 hectares, it is envisaged as "Greenfield" international airports.
  
• 2 parallel runways for simultaneous operations.
  
• Full-length taxiways on either side of the runways
  

Power

The Maharashtra state has the highest installed capacity of 12,909 MW in the country. During 2005-06, the generation of electricity in the state up to end of December 2005 was 50,489 million KWH.

Finance

In respect of deposits (23 per cent) and gross credits (32 per cent) of scheduled commercial banks in the country as on 30th September 2005, Maharashtra stands first in India. As on 31st December 2005, there were 39 mutual funds registered in India with the total assets of Rs.2, 00,209 crore of which 33 were registered in Maharashtra. The net amount mobilized by 33 funds during 2005-06 up to December was Rs. 26,467 crore.

Maharashtra State Financial Corporation (MSFC)

Maharashtra State Financial Corporation (MSFC) is a statutory Corporation set up under the State Financial Corporations (SFCs) Act, 1951 to provide mainly the term loan assistance to small and medium scale industries for acquiring fixed assets like land, building, plant & machinery. Loans are presently extended for expansion, diversification, technology development, enlarging product mix / product range, quality improvement including ISO 9000 series certifications and also for take-over of term loan accounts from Banks.

Ports

The state of Maharashtra has two major ports at Mumbai and Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and 48 minor ports across the coastline of the state.

Performance of the Mumbai Port

 

Nhava Sheva (JNPT)

JNPT is India's most modern, automated and productive port. It is the only "Millionaire" port of India, with over 1.3 million TEU's per annum.

The dwell time period for import containers destined for Container Freight Stations (CFSs) has come down to less than a day at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT) during the month of November 2006. The Terminal delivered 21,975 TEUs of import containers to various CFSs with average dwell time of 0.65 days against free period of 3 days provided by the Port. There has also been significant improvement in delivery of import containers destined for various Inland Container Depots (ICDs). The Terminal delivered 10,644 TEUs of ICD containers during the month of Nov 2006 with average dwell time period of 1.73 days against free period of 15 days provided by the Port. The total pendency of ICD containers at the end of the month (Nov 2006) was 400 and pendency of import CFS containers was 104.

JN Port handled 36.24 lakh tonnes of total cargo during the month of Nov 2006. Out of this container traffic accounted for 33.29 lakh tonnes (2,63,927 TEUs) and liquid bulk 2.46 lakh tonnes. Remaining 0.48 lakh tonnes of cargo was cement in the form of dry bulk cargo. The container traffic at JNPCT was 101,996 TEUs, at NSICT was 103,971 TEUs and at GTIPL was 57,960 TEUs.

The cumulative traffic at JN Port during the current financial year 2006-07 (April 06 to Nov 06) is 28.48 million tonnes including 2.08 million TEUs of containers. During the same period last year the Port handled 24.73 million tonnes of total cargo including 1.73 million TEUs of containers. Thus during the current financial year 2006-07, the port has recorded growth of 15.17% in total traffic and 20.31 % in container traffic over the same period last year.

Captive Terminals

Key Policy Features

• Construction on BOT basis
  
• Land and site to be leased for 30 years
  
• State government not to recover berthing dues. Concessional wharfage charges to be as per notified state government rates

The following captive terminals are currently under operation:

Location	Operator	Cargo
Panvel (Ulwa-Belapur)	Gujarat Ambuja Cement Ltd.	Bulk cement
Dharamtar	Ispat Industries Ltd.	Iron ore Clinker Coke/Coal Sponge iron
Revdanda	Vikram Ispat Ltd.	Iron ore/ pellets/ fine Hot Bricketed Iron Direct Reduced Iron
Ratnagiri (Pawas-Ranpar)	Finolex Industries Co. Ltd.	Etheylene-di-choride LPG

Major Areas

Auto Industry

The auto sector has played a key role in the industrialization of the state. Every single segment of the sector including two and three wheelers, passenger cars and commercial vehicles is represented in the state. The component sector also has a very strong presence in the state.

Maharashtra has emerged as a hub for the automobile sector owing to the following strengths:

• Almost three out of every ten tractors produced in the country is from Maharashtra.
  
• Over one third of the tractor industry's installed capacity is in Maharashtra.
  
• Over 70 % of Medium and Heavy trucks is produced in the state.
  
• Nine out of ten three wheelers are produced in the state.
  
• In the case of Multi Utility Vehicles (commonly referred to as Jeeps) over 80 % of the vehicles sold in India are made in Maharashtra.
  
• In the auto component sector, about 80 out of the 402 manufacturers (ACMA members) are located in Maharashtra.
  
• Maharashtra accounts for nearly 38% of the country's output of automobiles by value.
  
• Around 40% of the workforce engaged in the automobile industry is employed in the state.

Biotechnology

Maharashtra is confident of emerging as a leader in the biotech sector. It already contributes about 40 percent of the total turnover and 11 percent of the total value of formulations to the pharmaceutical industry. Number of leading institutions such as BARC, IIT, TIFR, UDCT, NCL, NCCS, NIV, NARI, ARI, NEERI, VSI are present in Mumbai and Pune doing pioneering research work, and conducting cutting edge research in biomedical, bioinformatics and biotechnology.

The state has the resources to make the pharmaceutical industry the 'most preferred destination' and to attract and accelerate investment in this industry. Maharashtra already contributes about 40 percent of the total turnover and 11 percent of the total value of formulations to the pharmaceutical industry. Most international companies have their preferences for Maharashtra; these companies include, among others, Glaxo Wellcome, Novartis, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott, Hoechst, and Rhone Poulenc.

Financial Incentives biotechnology sector

• Industrial/agricultural power tariff for all Biotechnology industries
  
• Agricultural BT Companies will be given power at agricultural rates
  
• BT industries exempted from statutory power cuts
  
• BT Units exemption from electricity duty,
  
• Captive power generation will be permitted to BT units
  
• Sales Tax/VAT on BT products would be decided as per recommendations of the empowered committee
  
• BT units will be eligible for all benefits to units in 'D' area, under the New Package Scheme of Incentives.
  
• Capital subsidy for small-scale BT units
  
• Refund of Octroi & similar levies
  
• New & expansion of BT units will be exempt from payment of Stamp Duty & Registration.
  
• 10% of the admissible Stamp Duty payable on property resulting from amalgamation of BT companies.
  
• Twice the admissible FSI for BT units in the Parks.
  
• All BT units will get incentives applicable to IT units.
  
• Land at concessional rates to Centres of Excellence in the BT industry.
  

Investment Opportunities in the biotechnology sector:

Vaccines

India's huge population makes it among the world's largest markets for vaccines of all types. India faces a growing demand for new-generation and combination vaccines, such as DPT with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A and injectable polio vaccine, besides several veterinary and poultry vaccines. Apart from conventional vaccines, the r-DNA and nucleic acids vaccines have further market potentials as and when approved by the regulatory authorities.

Bioactive Therapeutic Proteins

Opportunities exist for speeding up production facilities, based on licensing and other forms of cross-border relationships for all therapeutic products approved for marketing in India, namely Insulin, Alpha, Interferon, Hepatitis B surface antigen based vaccine, Erythropoietin, Streptokinase, Chymotrypsin, PGF, GCSF, Gm-CSF, Interleukins and others, which has grown to US $200 million in 2005.

Agriculture sector

Hybrid seeds, including genetically modified seeds represent new business opportunities based on yield improvement, and development of a production base in bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers would facilitate India's entry into the growing organic or natural foods market. The Genetically Modified crops like corn, cotton, millet, mustard and other nutritionally improved vegetables also provide good potential in the agriculture sector.

Contract R&D

The cutting edge of the biotech sector is development of new products. Indian pharma companies possess competitive skills in chemical synthesis and process engineering, which they can leverage to develop new chemical entities, and with the application of bioinformatics tools, tap into the high-potential biogenerics segment. Under a positive IPR regime, the synergies in pharma-biotech relationships can be successfully turned into an opportunity for undertaking international contract research in segments of new drug discovery, clinical trials, and bioinformatics related services.

The current global spend on outsourced R&D is approximately US $7 billion and is expected to grow at 30 per cent per annum for the next 5 years.

Clinical Trials and Outsourcing

A large number of new NCE's under clinical testing are all products of r-DNA, most of these emanating from small and medium sized biotech companies. With clinical trials in India costing less than one-tenth of the levels in developed markets, clinical research organizations can seek research and trial projects in India from international companies, provided they are able to demonstrate practices and follow up procedures prescribed to meet International Standards, especially the WHO prescribed Good Clinical Practices, and even take a lead by harnessing India's IT strengths to generate all their research reports and documentation in electronic form as it is becoming mandatory.

Bioinformatics

Indian bioinformatics companies can play a significant role in critical areas such as data mining, mapping and DNA sequencing, besides functional genomics, Proteonics and molecule design simulation in the US $2 billion world market for Bioinformatics services. Complex algorithm writing and the use of computational capacities to study the 3-D structures of proteins are the main skills brought into play in this segment. The existing infrastructure established by DBT in the form of the DICs and sub-DICs has good potential to be outsourced in the genomic and proteonic research with large pool of genetic biodiversity available within the country.

Infrastructure Support Institutions

The growing interest in outsourced research and the emergence of start-ups has led to a demand for industrial parks, containing a large number of shared facilities for research and development, most suited to start-ups and contract research activities. Key facilities include clean rooms, gas pipelines, filtered air, wet labs, high-end computers for bioinformatics and protein modeling studies, besides customs clearing, patent facilitation related administrative support. Such parks also provide opportunities for international co-operation. In the coming scenario when a large number of states are going to establish biotechnology parks, the available infrastructure can be utilized to develop various biotech products.

• Maharashtra Biotechnology Commission

Floriculture

Maharashtra is a major producer of floriculture products with more than 4000 hectares of area under various flowers. The major traditional flowers grown in Maharashtra are rose, chrysanthemum, marigold, jasmine and tuberose whereas, gladioluses, aster, zinnia, Stacie, lilies, gerberas and carnations are grown among the non-traditional flowers.

The principal feature of floriculture development in the state is setting up of large number of Export Oriented Units with foreign collaboration and investment. The climate of Pune, Nashik region, facilitates the setting up of such unit without heavy investment on environment control. Several units including Deccan Flora base, Valplus Biotech, Babna Major, Neha International, Vikram Greentech, Centure International, Essar Agrotech, Indrayani Biotech have commenced the production and export of flowers mainly roses to European and other markets from Maharashtra.

There are three groups of producers in Maharashtra in the floriculture sector:

Low Tech Producers: This is the largest group of flower producers having small land holding in close proximity to big towns and cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur. According to the rough estimates, there are 100 of growers cultivating on a piece of land, growing different varieties of traditional flowers (loose flowers) and occasionally stem flowers. The produce is grown out doors in the open. They do not have sophisticated equipment and their family has probably been working in the same way for many years.

Medium Tech Producers: This group of growers has already started producing cut flowers. Their basic infrastructure consists of sheds, nets and primitive green houses but not sophisticated equipment for cooling, grading, packaging etc. The major part of this group has received a basic training. They specialize in different products mainly for the domestic market, which together with the production of cut flowers by the low-tech growers widens the selection available.

High Tech Producers (Export Oriented Units - EOU): In Maharashtra about 20 to 30 modern Export Oriented Units (EOUs) have been established with an average area of 3 to 4 Ha and the total area under green house cultivation of 70 Ha. Most of these units are located in Pune District (Talegaon, Lonawala belt). These units are export oriented with 80 to 95% of their production being earmarked for export. The remaining 5 to 20%, which has no export potential mostly because of the poor quality or shorter strains and off-season production, comes to the local market. This variation in percentage is determined by the season.

Food Processing Industry

There is a vast potential for modern food processing units in the state from the point of view of both:

• Vast agricultural resources (inputs available for the food processing industry)
  
• Market for the final product (the state has big consumption and prosperous market in the cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nagpur etc.)

Other key drivers of the food processing industry includes factors such as advancement of science and technology, globalization and changing eating habits of the people of the country.

The main food processing industries in the state are in the sectors of sugar, milk, poultry, rice mill, flour mill, meat, edible oil, vanspati, fruit and vegetable units, milk processing units etc.

Rice, wheat, soyabin, jawar, grapes, pomegranates and mangoes are the main crops that are available in the state for primary and secondary process. Similarly, there is a vast potential for development and setting up processing units for tomatoes, onion, cabbage, okra, cauliflower. In particular, fruit juice pulp and concentrated units, winery, distillery, pickles, rice mill, flour mill, dal mill, soyabin extraction and refining units etc. can be set up in MIDC Industrial Areas.

Information Technology (IT) and ITeS

India has one of the world's largest educated and English speaking pools of graduates and post-graduates, with a variety of technical and non-technical skills.
The country has made tremendous progress in developing critical infrastructure such as telecommunications; Internet connectivity; road, rail and air transport; and power supply.

With the view to becoming the IT center of the world, the government of Maharashtra has drawn up a comprehensive and bold IT policy, making it extremely attractive for companies and entrepreneurs to set up house in the state with a long term perspective.

IT and ITeS operations in India have consistently delivered huge cost savings to clients in North America, Europe and other parts of the world. This is possible due to the substantially lower costs of skilled manpower, facilities and infrastructure as compared to similar resources in the client's home country.

Infrastructure

Vast investment potential exists in sectors such as power, roads, rail, communication, connectivity, airports and ports. Further, potential is there for establishment of gas distribution networks in major industrial areas in the state to improve availability of cleaner and cost-effective fuel.

Leather Industry

The state of Maharashtra has the potential to play a significant role in increasing India's share of international leather trade. The leather and product industries of Maharashtra are centered around Mumbai, the inherent strengths being a comfortable raw material base, skilled labor and the already well-established leather/ leather goods industry.

Some of the recent developments in the state of Maharashtra with respect to the leather industry are:

• Visible signs of international leather industries shifting their manufacturing bases from Europe to Asia are imminent.
  
• Attractive government incentives for value addition and
  
• Keenness amongst large industrial houses to invest in the leather sector.

The Textile Industry

Maharashtra has excellent infrastructure to play a key role in the growth of the textile Industry. Its excellent two major ports, many minor ports and the country's busiest international airport will prove of strategic importance. The state accounts for about 65 million kg of cotton production, which is 25% of the country's total. Production of cotton yarn is 272 million kg, which is 12% of country's total. Further, Maharashtra has a installed capacity of 16.6 lakh spindles - 17% of country's total.

Policy Framework

Industrial, Investment and Infrastructure Policy of Maharashtra 2006

Maharashtra has been in the forefront in sustaining industrial growth and in creating environment conducive to industrial development. Investment-friendly industrial policies, excellent infrastructure and a strong and productive human resource base have made it a favoured destination for manufacturing, export and financial service sectors. It has achieved 7.1% average growth in the last decade. The State's economy has shown increasing signs of maturity. Its services sector contributes 61% and its industry base contributes 26% of the GSDP. The State contributes 40% of the National Fiscal receipts. Furthermore, it has the largest share of public funds for the development of industrial and social infrastructure.

Objective of the Policy

To achieve higher and sustainable economic growth with emphasis on balanced regional development and employment generation through greater private and public investment in industrial and infrastructure development.

Policy Targets

• Target service sector growth rate of 12% by 2010 and
  
• Additional employment generation of 20 lakh by 2010
  
• Target industrial sector growth rate of 10% by 2010

Strategies

The Policy objectives will be realized through the following strategies:

• Identification of thrust sectors
  
• Building up of quality infrastructure
  
• Incentivising investments for employment generation in districts low on Human Development Index
  
• Attracting mega investments both foreign and domestic
  
• Commercial exploitation of local resources and local economic potential.
  
• Strengthening the SME sector through promotion of quality competitiveness, research and development and technology upgradation
  
• Nurturing industrial clusters
  
• Prevention of industrial sickness and revival of viable sick units
  
• Smooth exit option for industries
  
• Streamlining procedures, debottlenecking and creation of hassle free industry friendly environment
• Strengthening institutional support.
  

Full text of the policy

IT and ITES Policy 2003

The main objective of the IT and ITES Policy, 2003 is to make Maharashtra the most favoured destination for investments in the IT and ITES industry. This is intended to be achieved by directing the State support at opening up large scale opportunities of employment and self-employment, facilitating growth of skilled and globally employable man-power, unprecedented spurt in exports, creating hassle-free and industry-friendly, 24 x 7 x 365 working environment, associating urban local Governments as responsive key stakeholders in promoting business and enterprise in the IT industry, and providing a legal framework for data protection and consumer privacy. This policy has come into force from 4th June 2003 and will remain in force for a period of five years.

Full text of the policy

• Amendment to the IT policy (.pdf)

Biotechnology Policy 2001

Objectives of the Policy

• Provide the farmers of the state with better, high-yielding, drought and pest-resistant crops suited to the agro-climatic conditions of the State.
  
• Help develop affordable and more cost-effective drugs and devices to counter diseases common to India and to tropical and sub-tropical areas, and to reduce the disease burden.
  
• Develop cheaper and effective technologies to purify water sources and to deal with industrial effluents and urban wastes, etc.
  
• Improve the livestock in the state in order to increase the earning capacity in rural areas.
  
• Improve the marine stock to improve the productivity of the fishing industry.
  
• Enhance the value and utility of medicinal plants and traditional systems of medicine by developing new products with global potential.
  
• Develop and promote utilization of animal diagnostics and vaccines for preventing losses and increasing realization from livestock and poultry.
  
• Augment feed and fodder availability and processing
  
• Improve the overall nutritional security in the State
  
• Improve the quality of life through better health and better environment.

Full text of the policy

Grapes Processing Industry Policy 2001

Maharashtra is a leading state in production of Grapes in the whole country. In regards to agriculture land under grapes cultivation & grapes production, Nashik & Sangli districts are at forefront in the State. Apart from these, grapes are also grown in the districts of Ahmednagar, Pune, Satara, Solapur & Osmanabad. Nowadays, grapes are produced in Latur district of Marathwada also. However, Nashik and Sangli districts are ahead in the production of grapes in a scientific manner. The progressive farmers in these districts have also entered in the grapes exports and grapes processing sector. But, major grapes are produced for eating purposes and limited quantity is utilized for the production of liquor, dry fruits like raisins, etc. However, as grapes are of perishable nature, many times when the production of grapes is much more and sufficient domestic market is not available for sale of grapes, farmers have to sustain heavy financial losses. Further, as process of grapes production basically requires major capital investment, if sale or exports of grapes is not possible in time, farmers do suffer a lot. In these circumstances it was under consideration of government to declare a independent policy to encourage the grapes growers to produce more beneficial alternative products from grapes, other than the dry fruits and table grapes.

Full text of the policy

Investment Incentives

Investment Incentives as under Industrial Policy 2001

• A number of incentives such as exemption from payment of electricity duty, stamp duty, registration fees, refund of octroi duty, entry tax is offered to all the New industrial units being established in the backward areas of the state.
  
• Special capital incentives (grants) are offered for setting up Small-scale industries (SSI's) in backward units.
  
• Interest subsidy is also offered to new textile, hosiery and knitwear SSI units.
  
• Khadi and village industries are exempted from the payment of sales tax.
  
• Minimum floor rate of sales tax and no return over tax on IT products
  
• Stamp duty exemption to industries being set up in backward areas Establishment of IT/BT Units on textiles mills in Greater Mumbai.
  
• Setting up of Special Economic Zones

Investment Incentives as under Biotechnology Policy 2001

• Exemption in stamp duty, permissive for captive power generation
  
• Electricity duty exemption, Octroi refund
  
• Special capital incentives according to the provisions of the " Package Scheme of Incentives (PSI) 2001 " are awarded to the biotechnology units.

Investment Incentives as under Information Technology Policy 2003

Fiscal

• 100% Stamp Duty exemption in Public IT Parks ; 75% in Private IT Parks
  
• 100% exemption from payment of Electricity Duty
  
• Exemption from payment of Octroi / Entry Taxes
  
• Double FSI (FAR) for units built in IT Parks
  
• Lower Property Taxes - same as Residential rates
  
• Minimal Sales Tax rates on locally procured Capital goods
  
• Power supply at 'Industrial rates'

Non-Fiscal

• Permission for 24x7 working hours
  
• No restrictions on employing women workers at late hours
  
• Relaxation of Labour laws and statutory returns thereon
  
• BPO units treated as 'Essential Services' & 'Continuous Process' units
  
• Unlimited captive & backup power generation permitted
  
• Permission for IT units in IT Parks to be 'Independent Power Producers'
  
• Data Protection & Consumer Privacy Act

Key benefits of 100% Export Oriented Units (EOU) scheme of STPI

• No Customs Duty on imports of Capital goods & Consumables
  
• Excise Duty & Central Sales Tax exemption on all locally procured items
  
• 'Net Forex earnings' requirement
  
• 100% Tax exemption till the financial year 2009-10
  

Industrial Parks and Centres

Special Economic Zones

Butibori(Nagpur)	Dronagiri ( Navi Mumbai)	Guhagar ( Ratnagiri)
Kagal-Hatkanangale (Kohlapur)	Khopta ( Raigad)	SEEPZ (Mumbai)
Shendra ( Aurangabad)	Sinnar ( Nashik)

Self Governing Industrial Townships

• Vile Bhagad ( Raigad)
  
• Talegaon Dabhade ( Pune)
  
• Shendra ( Aurangabad)
  
• Nandgaon Peth ( Amravati)
  
• Tadali ( Chandrapur)
  
• Additional Sinnar ( Nashik)
  
• Waluj ( Aurangabad)
  
• Nanded
  
• Osmanabad
  
• Airoli ( Navi Mumbai)
  
• Hinjawadi ( Pune)
  
• Additional Latur
  
• Butibori ( Nagpur)
  
• Nardhana ( Dhule)
  

Agro Export Zones

• Nashik
  
• Solapur
  
• Satara
  
• Pune
  
• Sangli
  
• Ahmednagar
  
• Grape Wine Park: Winchur (Nashik)
  
• Palus (Sangli)
  
• Food Park: Alkud - Manerajuri (Sangli)
  
• Floriculture Park - Talegaon (Pune)
  
• Orange City Park -Nagpur
  

Other initiatives of the Maharashtra Government include Floriculture Park, Food Silver Zone, and Textile Park etc.

Useful Weblinks

Government of Maharashtra