Maharashtra's power demand has increased by nearly 20 per cent, which the government says is a sign that industries and businesses are expanding in the state rather than moving elsewhere. The government also claimed that ongoing reforms in the power sector could make electricity tariffs in Maharashtra cheaper than those in Gujarat over the next two years. 

'Maharashtra' preferred destination

Speaking in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state's power demand has increased by nearly 20 per cent in the last two years, a growth that earlier would have taken almost a decade to achieve. Referring to the Opposition's claim that industries are moving out of Maharashtra, Fadnavis said the sharp rise in electricity consumption clearly indicates that businesses and industries are expanding within the state. He asserted that the narrative that Maharashtra is losing industries to other states is not supported by the data.