AURIC investment scene positive: Desai

The investment prospects for the upcoming Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) will look up in near future, Maharashtra Industries Minister Subhash Desai said on Monday.

The AURIC greenfield industrial site is a part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) located at Shendra and Bidkin near Aurangabad.

Desai told reporters that Tanman Chakravarty of the Tata Sons and Prakash Jain, a senior official with an MNC, visited AURIC along with him on Sunday.

"They have expressed satisfaction over the facilities and are positive to work here," he said.

AURIC is developing as fast urban and industrial hub, the Shiv Sena leader said.

Admitting that the IT vertical is still not present at the AURIC, the minister said, "We are in talks with several IT companies".

"IT company officials need to travel long apart from their working hours. To overcome this, we are implementing walk-to-work concept here. We have also made an attractive investment policy for companies," Desai said.

The minister also said the government is focusing on agriculture-based companies.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the project of agriculture-based companies will be completed before June this year and land will be allotted to women entrepreneurs, he said.

Desai also said that a systematic programme will be chalked out to address health issues in Aurangabad and at government hospitals in the city.

Commenting on a dispute between MLA Sanjay Shirsat and former corporator Sushil Khedkar over a road tender issue, Desai said the party has the serious note of the matter and soon a meeting will be called.

Meanwhile, Desai inspected a road connecting the historic 'Bibi ka Makbara' with the Aurangabad Caves, after contradictory claims were made in a meeting with the administration officials.

He found the road in a bad condition and addressed officials there itself.

Aurangabad MP Imtiyaz Jaleel has demanded that a police case be registered against officials who fail to complete vairous works.