76% of closed firms defunct, Maharashtra leads active firms: Fadnavis

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said 76% of the 36,211 companies alleged closed in Maharashtra over five years were defunct or never operated. Of the rest, 12% opted for mergers and 2% were dissolved. He said Maharashtra has 396,000 active registered companies, the highest in India, with 45,525 new registrations in the last year.

Fadnavis released the figures on social media after NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar highlighted the closures from parliamentary data. Pawar said the state's industrial legacy must be protected and cited 20 companies leaving Chakan due to bad roads and traffic. Opposition leaders Aaditya Thackeray and state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sakpal accused the government of administrative failure.

Fadnavis said industries minister Uday Samant had been directed to address Chakan's issues. A task force under Pune collector will prepare an integrated road and traffic plan. An industry grievance redressal cell has also been set up.