No load-shedding in Maharashtra by 2012-end: Chavan

Mumbai :  Maharashtra will become free of load-shedding by the end of 2012 if everything goes as per plan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said at an event here Tuesday.

Chavan was speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Fourth Meeting of the National Council here.

At the event, Chavan also spoke about his focus for the state: manufacturing, quality of education, water, power, innovation and research and development, among others.

“My biggest challenge is achieving uniform growth and removing regional imbalance,” he said.

Speaking about challenges for the state, Chavan said Maharashtra is the only state which still has octroi. “Plans are on to shift to accounts-based levy, local body tax. By the end of this year we would move away from octroi completely,” he said.

On e-governance, the chief minister announced that the state would be soon moving toward a single window e-portal wherein one can track all applications online. He added that dual transaction issues would be sorted out.