India's recent phenomenal prosperity has taken everybody by surprise. The rolling out of ambitious programmes and its right implementation has leapfrogged India into the category of fast developing countries. Taking over this mantle from the Centre, Maharashtra has become the first state to successfully implement the Centre's flagship schemes and launch its own programmes to meet the demands of the ever-expanding spheres of activity. Thanks to the visionary leaders of the Congress-led Democratic Front Government in Maharashtra, the state stands at No. 1 position for its-development model. After the ghastly Mumbai terror attack on November 26, the state government led by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, gave foremost priority to ensure safety and security of every citizen of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Wide-ranging security measures have been introduced. It is the credit of the DF government that the state has drawn mega investment commitments worth Rs 1.53 lakh crore in less than three years. It has the highest number of special is one of the most urbanised states in India, with around 44 per cent of population living in urban towns. The state's housing policy for the urban conglomerations reflects this futuristic planning by making provisions to ensure that urbanisation does not lead to slumming of cities. Besides this, the state has been the first to implement the spirit of Panchayati Raj by granting 33 per cent reservation to women in local self-government bodies, successful implementation of Sant Gadgebaba Clean Village Campaign and from 2005 onwards agrarian distress has seen a sharp decline in Vidarbha and Marathwada. Maharashtra has also been acknowledged as a model state for its better law and order situation compared to other states. ENSURING SAFETY AND SECURITY OF PEOPLE After the terrorist attack, the state government took a decision to set up Force One, a specialised police unit that will tackle the growing threat of terrorism. It will be set up on the lines of National Security Guards and its formation will be complete in a month's time. For this, the government has already set aside a fund of Rs 16.7 crore. To make sure that the coastal security of the state is not breached, state government has made a provision of Rs 1 crore which can be utilised to hire trawlers in times of emergency. The state has decided to hire 18 trawlers to strengthen patroling of the coastline. Purchase of 36 speed boats for the purpose of coastal patrolling has been cleared and Rs 49 crore has been set aside for the purchase of 12 speedboats by March 31. Also, the state intelligence department is being strengthened and a cyber monitoring cell has been recently launched. Modernisation of police weapons and equipment top the agenda of the state government and Rs 36.63 crore has been set aside for the same. The government has taken a decision to purchase 250 MP-5 guns that would act as principal weapons for the Force One. Similarly, 20 additional Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads are being formed. These BDDS teams will be placed in various districts across the state. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, the State Security Council has been formed. This council will guide the state home department on the measures to be taken to counter terrorism and other related threats. Agroup of ministers has beenformed to tackle security-related issues and to make available necessary funds to meet the demands of security agencies. Presided over by Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, this group of ministers has taken a large number of decisions including sanctioning of funds for purchase of weapons and modernisation of equipment. MUMBAI MAKEOVER In 2004, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh famously used Shanghai as the metaphor for Mumbai makeover. By that the Prime Minister did not mean to convert Mumbai into Shanghai. He only held out the vision of Shanghai's transformation from a semi-urban sprawl into a spectacular symbol of China's phenomenal economic growth powered by Shanghai's metamorphosis. Along with the Shanghai dream, the ambition of developing Mumbai as an international financial centre (IFC) like London has also emerged over the last couple of years. The DF government has applied itself to both theses tasks in right earnest. GROWING CITYSCAPE ? Funds to the tune of Rs 1,25,000 crore sanctioned for overall development of Mumbai Metropolitan Region ? 50 sky walks to be ready by May 2009 ? Rs 2,400 crore sanctioned for phase I of Metro Railway project ? Phase II of Metro Rail project approved by the central government ? Bandra-Worli sea link to be completed by May 2009 ? To promote rental housing in MMR region five lakh houses will be constructed. One lakh houses to be ready by the end of 2009 The DF government's vision for Mumbai takes into account Mumbai's traditional pride of place in India's economic growth and plans to build on this strength. Mumbai's share in total state GDP is 21 per cent. If one adds the larger metropolitan region beyond Mumbai, the share in state GDP goes up to 36 per cent. In 2007-08, Mumbai's per capita income was estimated at Rs 80,000 as against the rest of Maharashtra's per capita income at less than Rs 50,000. All this underlines the importance of Mumbai not only for Maharashtra but the entire country. The DF government understands that Mumbai not only needs to be developed into India's economic powerhouse, but also globally advertised as a potential IFC. When the Prime Minister shared his Shanghai dream for Mumbai, he also unveiled a Rs 40,000 crore Mumbai makeover programme. The size of this programme has ballooned to more than Rs 50,000 crore just for the island city of Mumbai in four years. The DF government has put the essence of the Prime Minister's vision for Mumbai in action by expanding the Mumbai makeover programme into a mammoth business plan for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The business worth Rs 2.50 lakh crore seeks to integrate the economy of the island city with its distant hinterlands, thus making the entire 4,450 sq.km. MMR the main driver of Maharashtra's economic growth. The Mumbai makeover plans can be divided into three broad sectors-mass transport projects, basic infrastructure upgrade, and faster connectivity programmes to accelerate economic growth. The flagship project of Mumbai makeover is Metro rail project, which will be done in different phases. A Rs 38,000-crore project aims to provide rail-based mass transport to people, serve areas not connected by existing suburban rail system and connect Mumbai with satellite areas like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, etc. Though the Mumbai makeover programme looks at Mumbai in 2025, some signs of a city in transformation are visible while some more will be so in a couple of years. Mumbai's first skywalk has already been opened to pedestrians at Bandra and another 50 will be operational by March 2009. The first metro corridor will be commissioned by July 2010 and the Monorail will go on track in two years. LOAN WAIVER AND FARMERS' RELIEF PACKAGE: THINGS IMPROVING AT GROUND ZERO Agrarian distress in some parts of Maharashtra has been a matter of concern for the Democratic Front (DF) government. In backward regions like Marathwada and Vidarbha, this distress has driven a large number of farmers to commit suicide mainly due to indebtedness, low productivity, crop failure, and lack of proper remunerative prices for the farm produce. BEST DEALS ? The state government loan waiver packages amounts to Rs 6208 crores, benefiting 40.14 lakh farmers ? Maharashtra's share in Central government's loan waiver amounts to Rs 7,871 crore, benefiting 38 lakh farmers ? In all the total package is to the tune of Rs 14,079 crore covering 78.14 lakh farmers The credit for the turn-around goes to the timely interventions made by the Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government in the farm sector through measures like loan waiver, relief and rehabilitation. Centre has waived farmers' loans to the tune of Rs 7,871 crore. This loan waiver will benefit 38 lakh farmers in the state. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan recently announced another farm loan waiver package of Rs 6,208 crore. It is estimated that over 40 lakh farmers will benefit from the state government's loan waiver. Farmers have been distributed crop loans at an annual interest rate of six per cent. Farmers have been freed from private loans. These loans had been borrowed from illegal moneylenders and 161 offences have been registered against moneylenders. So far 112.21 hectres of farmers' land, which was grabbed by money lenders, have been returned to them. The state government has also announced a special assistance of Rs 56 crore for orange growers from Vidarbha region. In December 2005, the state had announced a special relief package worth Rs 1,075 crore, for six districts of Vidarbha most hit by the crisis