Mumbai, Feb. 24 -- Maharashtra governor Acharya Devvrat on Monday said the state has consolidated its position as India's leading industrial state, contributing over 13.5% to the national GDP and emerging as the country's top destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). Addressing the joint sitting of both houses of the state legislature at the start of the budget session, the governor said the state received Rs.1,64,875 crore in FDI in 2024-25, the highest in the country, accounting for 39% of the country's total inflows. "In the first half of 2025-26 alone, Maharashtra attracted Rs.91,337 crore in FDI," he revealed. Beginning his speech in Marathi, Devvrat paid tribute to Rajmata Jijau, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Bhagwan Birsa Munda and other social reformers, stating that their ideals continue to guide the government's policies. Later, he completed the speech in Hindi. Highlighting major investment commitments, he said the state signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs.30 lakh crore with companies from 18 countries at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026. These agreements are expected to create around four million jobs, he added. The governor outlined the state government's long-term development roadmap under 'Viksit Maharashtra - 2047', supported by a newly formed vision management unit aimed at transforming the state into a Rs.5 trillion economy by 2047. "The Maharashtra Industry, Investment and Services Policy - 2025, covering the period from 2026-2030, was also introduced with a target investment of Rs.70.5 lakh crore and the creation of 50 lakh (5 million) direct jobs," he added. In a push to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, the state government has rolled out the Maharashtra Startup, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy 2025, he said. The policy aims to nurture 125,000 entrepreneurs and support 50,000 start-ups over the next five years, positioning the state as a global entrepreneurship hub, he added. Devvrat also noted that Maharashtra ranked first in the Export Preparedness Index 2024 released by NITI Aayog in January 2026. To mobilise infrastructure funding, the government has approved the establishment of Maha InvIT (Infrastructure Investment Trust). Selected projects from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) will be transferred to the trust to raise funds from private and public investors....