Maharashtra, located in the north centre of Peninsular India, is the third largest State covering an area of 3,07,713 sq km. It is bounded by Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh on the northern side; by Arabian Sea on the western side; by Chhattisgarh on the eastern side, and by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on the southern side. It is situated on the west coast of India, with a 720 km long coastline along the lush green Konkan region. The State has a remarkable physical homogeneity, enforced by its underlying geology. The dominant physical trait of the State is its plateau character. Maharashtra is a plateau of plateaus, its western upturned rims rising to form the Sahyadri Range parallel to the sea-coast. The Sahyadri Range is the physical backbone of the State. Besides, Satpuda ranges cover northern part and serve as natural limits to the State, while Ajanta and Satmala ranges run through the central part of the State.
Industrial sector occupies a prominent position in the economy of the State. Food products, tobacco and related products, cotton textiles, other textile products, paper and paper products, printing and publishing, rubber, plastic, chemical and chemical products, machinery, electronic apparatus and appliances, and transport equipments contribute substantially to the industrial production in the State.
Maharashtra has the highest level of urbanisation amongst all the Indian states. It has been identified as India's powerhouse and its capital, Mumbai as the centre point of India's financial and commercial markets. Mumbai being the biggest business centre attracts a large number of investors from all over the world. While, Pune, the second largest city in Maharashtra, is the State's cultural capital and is rapidly maturing into a prime industrial town.
The other advantageous features of the State are:-
- Responsive administrative set up;
- Abundance of minerals;
- Strong agricultural and industrial base;
- Educated and professional workforce;
- Excellent R&D facilities;
- Well-connected transportation system;
- Home to world-class educational and IT institutions;
- Efficient power supply system and telecommunication network;
- Large consumer market; etc.
Given all this, the Government of Maharashtra has been making all efforts for maximizing the inflow of capital investment into the State. It has been supporting development of industry and business through a series of far-reaching policy initiatives and incentives. These policies aims to improve the quality of life of the people and promote overall development of the State. As a result, Maharashtra has attracted a large number of investors for setting up their operations in the State. They have set up industrial units in diverse fields like information technology, agro-processing, textiles, automobiles, biotechnology, etc.
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