SEPTEMBER 20258MAHARASHTRA GOVT SIGNS 80,962 CR MoUs, 40K JOBS TO BE CREATEDINDIA'S AEROSPACE HUB DREAM HINGES ON DIGITISATION: TAS CHIEFThe Maharashtra government has signed nine memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with leading companies, unlocking a total investment of 80,962 crore. These projects are expected to create more than 40,300 jobs across key districts, giving a strong boost to industrial growth and employment generation.The agreements were formalised at the Steel Mahakumbh organised by AIFA in Goregaon, Mumbai, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, and State Industries Minister Uday Samant.Digitisation is fast emerging as a critical requirement for the Indian aerospace and defence sector as the industry seeks to scale operations and establish itself as a global manufacturing hub. At a symposium organised by the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM), Tata Advanced Systems (TAS) Chairman Banmali Agarwala underlined that India's aerospace industry must urgently embrace digitisation and technology absorption to compete internationally.According to the Chief Minister's office, the projects will be spread across Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Wardha, Raigad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Satara.Among the landmark investments, Rashmi Metallurgical Industries will set up an integrated steel plant in Wardha with a capital outlay of 25,000 crore, expected to generate 12,000 jobs. In Raigad, Jindal Stainless Ltd will establish a stainless steel plant worth 41,580 crore, creating around 15,500 jobs.In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, NPSPL Advanced Material (Atha Group) will invest 5,440 crore to set up a critically advanced lithium battery material and carbon complex, employing 5,000 people. Gadchiroli will host joint projects by Sumedh Tools and Hariom Pipe Industries, bringing in 5,135 crore and creating 5,500 jobs.Other projects include Icon Steel India Pvt Ltd's 850 crore sponge iron unit in Chandrapur, Filtrum Autocomp's 100 crore automotive steel parts facility in Wai, Satara, G R Krishna Ferro Alloys' 1,482 crore sponge iron project in Mul, and Jaydeep Steelwork India's 1,375 crore ISP project in Nagpur.The MoUs highlight Maharashtra's strategic positioning as a leading hub for steel, stainless steel, and advanced material manufacturing, while reinforcing India's broader industrial growth agenda. "Digitisation is extremely important. It is amazing how this industry, particularly the aerospace industry, is not digitised. You do not have drawings which are digitised. One is still dealing with pretty old-fashioned drawings, because in many cases, the basic platform itself, which undergoes changes, is rather old, and therefore there are just changes that are made. So it's not digitised," Agarwala said during a panel discussion on strategies, opportunities, and challenges in building India as a global aerospace hub.He added, "So we need to have an approach of digitisation so that we can scale up."Emphasising the importance of manufacturing at scale, Agarwala pointed out, "It would not be enough just to make a few prototypes. But if we've got to figure out, how do we make things at scale, it's not enough just to have one Tejas...we need to have at a scale."He further highlighted that digitisation will strengthen the supply chain and enable large-scale production.Agarwala also stressed that Indian companies must not only source technology but also absorb and enhance it. "We do bring in technology, but our ability to absorb technology and then build further, rather than constantly being dependent on technology coming from the outside is also very crucial," he noted. TOP STORIESTOP STORIESTOP STORIES
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