Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced the establishment of a third dedicated “war room”, which will be dedicated to the Industries sector. He stated that this new war room will focus specifically on ensuring the effective implementation of the “Ease of Doing Business” policy. The initiative comes in response to the recent imposition of high tariffs by the United States on Indian goods, which Fadnavis said should be seen as an opportunity to accelerate economic reforms and industrial growth.“The U.S. tariffs were intended to create difficulties for India. But under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we are moving forward without fear. We must identify alternative markets and convert this challenge into an opportunity,” Mr. Fadnavis said. Currently, the state has two existing war rooms — one for infrastructure and another for the social service sector. The concept, first introduced during Mr. Fadnavis’s earlier term as the CM. Its objective was to monitor infrastructure projects like Mumbai’s metro lines. The second war room for social services was established after he took office again. The new war room will focus on removing bottlenecks to industrial development and streamlining approval processes for new investments, officials said. Speaking after a high-level meeting at Sahyadri Guest House, attended by top officials including Industries Secretary Dr. P. Anbalagan and MITRA CEO Pravin Singh Pardeshi, Mr. Fadnavis directed the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to finalise the structure of the new war room. A senior official present at the meeting said, “The Chief Minister wants a mechanism that brings together all departmental services at a single point on a portal.” The portal currently offers 119 services from 15 departments, and Fadnavis has urged the remaining departments to integrate their services for greater efficiency. The Chief Minister emphasised monthly reviews of the war room’s progress and reiterated the importance of digital governance. He called for a stronger single-window clearance system to ensure timely approvals and minimize delays for industrial projects. Mr. Fadnavis also encouraged the development of private industrial parks, particularly outside traditional MIDC areas, with a focus on supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He urged the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation to formulate a clear policy to promote such parks and expedite land approvals. In a major push to cut red tape, Mr. Fadnavis proposed that agro-processing industries spread over five hectares or more should be exempted from prior permissions, and a mechanism should be created to support this. “Ease of doing business should not just remain a policy on paper—it must reflect real change on the ground. Environmental clearances for non-polluting industries must not be delayed unnecessarily. Land measurement processes must also be fast-tracked,” he said. The new war room, he added, will ensure the government remains responsive to both new and existing businesses, creating an ecosystem that fosters growth, investment, and employment in Maharashtra.
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