MUMBAI, May 27 -- In a major push to industrial investment in Maharashtra, the state government on Tuesday approved five projects worth more than Rs.89,731 crore, including a Rs.70,000-crore coal gasification project by Adani Enterprises. The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee on industries chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis said the projects were expected to generate nearly 20,000 direct and indirect jobs and provide a significant boost to industrial development in regions such as Vidarbha, Marathwada and Nashik. "Adani's coal gasification project will come up at Nagpur. It will generate as many as 10,000 jobs," said a senior official from the industries department. All the proposals are related to high-technology sectors. Graphite India Limited plans to set up a Rs.4,651-crore manufacturing facility for synthetic graphite anode material used in lithium-ion batteries and related applications. The proposed plant will be established in Nashik. Akshat Greentech will invest Rs.12,500 crore to establish a solar cell, module, ingot and wafer-manufacturing unit in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Other firms investing in the state include HS Hyosung India, which will invest Rs.1,740 crore in a PET tyre cord manufacturing plant in Nagpur, and NLMK India Coating, which will set up a rolled grain-oriented electrical steel project in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar with an investment of Rs.840 crore. A senior government official said the projects were approved under the state's industrial policy and the package scheme of incentives, through which the government offers concessions and incentives to attract investment, create employment opportunities and strengthen the industrial ecosystem. Fadnavis said the projects would help expand Maharashtra's advanced manufacturing ecosystem and reinforce its position as a leading industrial hub. "These investments are expected to spur the growth of ancillary industries, local businesses and supply chains while also encouraging technological innovation and research and development," the chief minister said. "They are also likely to create new opportunities for small and medium enterprises," he added....