Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that Gadchiroli — once considered one of the state’s most underdeveloped regions —is poised to transform into a major steel-producing hub. Speaking at the inauguration of several projects by Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd (LMEL), he said the district is now witnessing a rapid growth.Mr. Fadnavis also laid the foundation stone for the company’s 4.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant at Konsari in the Naxal-affected district. “Today, Gadchiroli ranks among the bottom two districts in Maharashtra in terms of per capita income. But in the next five years, it will be among the top 10,” Mr. Fadnavis declared. The CM, who also serves as the ‘guardian minister’ for Gadchiroli, emphasised that the district — part of the Vidarbha region and historically a Naxal stronghold — is changing. “Naxalism is shrinking in Gadchiroli. Only a handful of Naxalites remain, and they can be counted on fingers,” he said, while appealing to remaining Naxalites to abandon violence and join the mainstream. However, Mr. Fadnavis raised concerns over “urban Naxals”, who he claimed are outsiders and use foreign funds to spread misinformation and derail development. “As soon as the steel plant’s foundation was laid, a campaign was launched on social media claiming that tribals were being displaced and killed. And the steel plant was getting constructed on their lands. This is a deliberate attempt to mislead people and obstruct progress,” he said. Mr. Fadnavis urged vigilance against such disinformation, saying, “We must be alert to the threat of urban Naxals who are spreading false narratives from outside the state.” The project by LMEL is expected to be completed in 30 months and generate employment for nearly 20,000 people. “Training and skill development programmes are already underway to ensure that local residents get priority in job recruitment,” Mr. Fadnavis said. Along with the steel plant, the chief minister inaugurated or laid the foundation for several key infrastructure projects in the district, including a 100-bed hospital, modern CBSE school, Lloyds Township at Somanpalli, a slurry pipeline from Hedri to Konsari, an iron ore grinding unit at Hedri and a pellet plant at Konsari. Mr Fadnavis also announced plans for a steel cluster in the region, aimed at fostering ancillary industries and attracting further investment. He emphasised that the government is committed to producing high-quality green steel in Gadchiroli at competitive rates — potentially cheaper than Chinese imports. “The development in Gadchiroli is historic. We are not just building industries, we are shaping a new future for this region,” said the chief minister.
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