Nagpur: Often hailed as the Second Capital of Maharashtra and the geographical heart of India, Nagpur has received a decisive national endorsement with its inclusion as one of the country’s select Metropolitan Growth Hubs, marking a defining moment in the city’s economic journey.
Presenting the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a massive allocation under the newly introduced Growth Hub initiative, under which each identified hub will receive Rs 5,000 crore over five years. In Maharashtra, only three regions, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), and the Nagpur Metropolitan Growth Hub, have been selected, placing Nagpur firmly alongside the state’s biggest economic engines.
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The announcement is being viewed as a major vote of confidence in Nagpur’s expanding role as a strategic centre for industry, logistics, infrastructure and urban growth, particularly for the long-neglected Vidarbha region.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reacting to the Budget, said the scheme would significantly strengthen Maharashtra’s development trajectory. “A provision of Rs 5,000 crore over five years has been announced for each Growth Hub. Maharashtra will benefit immensely as we have developed three Growth Hubs, MMR, PMR and Nagpur, with the support of NITI Aayog,” he said.
Over the past decade, Nagpur has steadily transitioned from a primarily administrative city into one of India’s most promising emerging growth centres. Landmark infrastructure projects, including the Samruddhi Mahamarg, Metro Rail expansion, multi-modal logistics parks, and enhanced air and rail connectivity, have fundamentally reshaped the city’s urban landscape and economic potential.
Government officials described the Rs 5,000-crore allocation for Nagpur as a gamechanger. “This level of sustained funding will significantly strengthen core infrastructure, boost investor confidence and accelerate planned growth. It clearly signals that Nagpur is being positioned as a key economic engine, not only for Vidarbha, but for Maharashtra as a whole,” a senior official said.
The Growth Hub funding is expected to address core urban and economic challenges by improving transport and civic infrastructure, developing industrial clusters, upgrading urban amenities, and promoting innovation, startups and entrepreneurship. Experts believe the initiative could generate large-scale employment, attract domestic and global investment, and reduce regional imbalance by channelling growth beyond traditional metropolitan centres.
With long-term central funding assured and state-level planning already in motion, Nagpur’s elevation as a Growth Hub could accelerate its transformation from a regional city into a nationally significant economic and logistics powerhouse, reinforcing its historic role as the nerve centre of Central India, and now, as a driver of Maharashtra’s future growth.
