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Climate change is the most important question before us: CM Devendra Fadnavis

"Maharashtra is the startup capital of India. It is no more Bangalore, it is no more Hyderabad, but Maharashtra," Fadnavis said.

CM Devendra Fadnavis at the DIPEX Exhibition at COEP, discussing Maharashtra’s clean energy future. (Source: X/@Dev_Fadnavis)

“Climate change is the most important question before us. A question mark has been raised on whether our world will exist or not. In such a situation, we have to bring our carbon emissions to zero,” said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while speaking at the DIPEX Exhibition at the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP) on Saturday.

He added, “We are producing electricity using traditional sources in a huge quantity. And this electricity produced using traditional methods creates a lot of pollution…I feel joy while saying that in Maharashtra till 2030, 52% of our energy production will be using non-traditional methods. These will not cause any pollution or carbon emissions. It is our effort to think about how to move towards net zero till 2047.”

Before saying this, Fadnavis remarked that the country was moving towards clean energy and green energy and that methods of generation like solar energy, wind energy, pump-hydro storages, green hydrogen, were all included in the plan. “Till next year the 16K MW electricity feeder that farmers need is going to be solar. The advantage is that we produce electricity at Rs 8 and give it to the farmer for free, earlier we used to take Rs 0.25. Now after converting to solar, it will only cost us Rs 3 and we will save Rs 5,” he said.

Startups in Maharashtra

Fadnavis also praised Maharashtra’s achievements in the start-up space and said, “If we look at the Startup India Report, by absolute numbers the highest number of startups are in Maharashtra and by absolute investment too, the highest number of startups are in Maharashtra. Therefore Maharashtra is the startup capital of India. It is no more Bangalore, it is no more Hyderabad, but Maharashtra.”

“Today from any tier-2 or tier-3 city an ITI, polytechnic, engineering college student group develops an idea from which a great increase in ease of living and ease of business is created. At the end of the day, the idea behind doing a startup is to increase ease of business and ease of living,” Fadnavis said.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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