Expert: Maha made a fortune by using Vid minerals

Nagpur: According to natural resources expert Pradeep Maheshwari, Maharashtra has thrived by using minerals from Vidarbha. He believes a thorough evaluation should be conducted to record the same.

When the state of Maharashtra was established in 1960, portions of Vidarbha were included in the new geographic division. “Even if data for the last 40 years is checked, it will become clear that Vidarbha’s contribution to Maharashtra’s current status would not have been possible,” said Maheshwari, who has devoted many years to researching Vidarbha’s natural resource pool and its most productive uses.

Expert: By taking use of Vid minerals, Maha benefited financially. “It is important to assess the resources that Vidarbha gave the national and state governments, such as coal, power, cement, steel, manganese, and other minerals.

Justice must triumph; that is what Maheshwari said.
He said that big initiatives requiring natural resources should ideally be directed towards Vidarbha. “Why doesn’t the PSU ecosystem invest in Vidarbha again?” questioned Maheshwari. There will be new defense corridors constructed, so why aren’t the ordinance factories in Vidarbha being expanded and modernized? Why does the government not request that ONGC establish petrochemical and fertilizer factories here?

He said that the value addition of precious minerals aids in the growth of the country. They produce steel, cement, and other goods, and Vidarbha is essential to Maharashtra’s ability to create large towns and infrastructure because it provides water, coal, and power. In spite of this, Vidarbha has endured decades of stagnation in employment, investment, industry, and irrigation. Another important factor is our leaders’ political aspirations,” Maheshwari said.

He has consistently advocated for a massive petrochemicals project in Vidarbha and recommended that investment firms take advantage of the logistical hub advantage. Maheshwari questioned, “Why are rail and roads used in central India while the ministry of petroleum and natural gas transfers crude oil and gas via a pipeline network extending 18,000km throughout the country? The ongoing project, which was originally planned to move 60 million tons a year from Ratnagiri to Vidarbha, would have saved Rs. 50 crore per year. With this approach, Vidarbha may get rid of its investment and employment backlog. Another question is, “Why no efforts after assurances from politicians?”

Maheshwari believes that if the government correctly plans Nagpur’s growth, it can handle the increasing burden on urban areas.

“The population pressure on major cities can be reduced by forming CIIR (Central India Investment and Industrial Region), developing a pollution-free environment within a 250-km radius, providing fast public transport facilities like local trains, and creating employment opportunities near villages,” Maheshwari stated. He went on to say that Delhi would not be overburdened by the presence of a world-class metropolis like Nagpur in the midst of the nation. According to Maheshwari, “CIIR should be developed by considering the problems that may arise from different perspectives.”