Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the state government is preparing a dedicated policy for the chemical industry, which will be officially released in the first week of November. Under this policy, there is a plan to develop a large chemical industrial center in the Wadhawan port area of Palghar district.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave this information while addressing the inaugural ceremony of India Chem 2026. He said the new policy aims to meet the changing needs of industries, develop investment-friendly infrastructure and accelerate the expansion of the chemical industry in the state.
The Chief Minister said that there are about 3,600 units of chemical industry in Maharashtra. The state's share in the gross value added (GVA) of the country's chemical sector is about 19 percent, while Maharashtra's contribution to national chemical exports is 17 percent.
He said that through single-window platforms like Maitri and Invest Maharashtra, the state government is simplifying the process of getting approvals and providing necessary assistance to investors.
Fadnavis said that the chemical sector in Maharashtra currently employs about three lakh people. There is a potential to double employment opportunities under the new policy.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav mentioned about the Rs 50,000 crore petrochemical project at Bina on the occasion. He also highlighted plans for expansion of plastic and gas based industrial parks.
Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that his state is moving from a mineral-based economy to a chemical industrial economy. For this, investment in green hydrogen, petrochemical and fertilizer sectors is being promoted by using the capacity of coastal ports.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers JP Nadda said that the Central Government is committed to the growth of the chemical industry by providing favorable policies, strong infrastructure and supporting research and development.
Nadda said that India's chemical industry is currently worth about 220 billion dollars. The government aims to increase it to $1 trillion by 2040 and to $1.6 trillion by 2047.
He said that under the Bulk Drug Park Scheme, the Central Government is providing assistance up to Rs 1,000 crore for each park. For this, state governments will have to contribute at least Rs 500 crore, so that a world-class industrial ecosystem can be developed.
Nadda also informed that the Central Government has included advanced chemicals in the Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore. He stressed on prioritizing industrial safety, safe management of hazardous chemicals, training of workers, reduction of carbon emissions and expansion of plastic recycling infrastructure.
Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel and Gujarat Minister of State Prafulla Pansheria also expressed their views in the programme. He stressed the need to ease compliance and provide regulatory support to industries.