This was disclosed by the state agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil at a two-day conference on "India-Foreign investment in infrastructure projects and financial markets", organised by Euromoney. Vikhe-Patil made these announcements in the absence of chief minister Manohar Joshi who could not attend the conference.

He said the state has the availability of over 1 million sq ft of built-up space with the requisite connectivity in and around Mumbai. By December 1999, an additional 1.5 million sq ft of built-up space will become available with proper connectivity.

Vikhe-Patil said the state government has given a thrust on the development ofindustrial parks and townships, specialised industrial complexes and various infrastructure projects in the field of power, road and highways, ports and airports. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, a nodal agency for the development of industrial estates in the state has developed over 35,000 hectares of industrial land and it proposes to develop additional 25,000 hectares of industrial land over the next 3 to 5 years.

He said Maharashta ranks first with total of 5,819 Industrial Entrepreneurs Memoranda, since August 1991 up to May 1998, while it has the highest number of foreign technical collaboration numbering 674. The state has received 1,122 foreign direct investment projects with proposed investments of $5.10 billion. The state has 497 export oriented units.

Vikhe-Patil called upon the investors to participate in a big way at the three-day global convention and exhibition "Agro Advantage Maharashtra" beginning from November 6 at Mumbai. About 50 projects from agriculture, horticultureand food sector worth Rs 5,000 crore would be offered to the investors during this meet.