MUMBAI : Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis said Vidarbha would be developed as a logistics hub through road, airport and rail expansion.

Interacting with participants at a conference on Vidarbha’s development, organized by Vivek Spark Foundation and Vidarbha Economic Development (VED) Council, Fadnavis said in the next few years, Vidarbha will emerge as a leading region in terms of development and social security.

“BJP’s double-engine government has given new wings of development to this economically backward region, which suffered from discrimination in terms of development for several decades during the tenure of Congress Government. Now, the development of Vidarbha is on a fast-track due to Samruddhi Expressway, which will give impetus to the state’s economy,” he said.

Stressing that Central and State Governments have already started making efforts to make Vidarbha a drought-free, economically prosperous and industrial and logistics hub in the future, Fadnavis said he had started the development process when he was chief minister from 2014-19 and now it was put on a fast track.

“In spite of discrimination faced by Vidarbha over the years, the region is now progressing day and night. Nagpur’s new airport is coming up soon. The collector has been given the authority of joint managing director of Mihan project so that decisions can be made quickly,” he said.