Kerkar has already been appointed as consultant to the government on the development of the entertainment industry in the state. He will represent the state government while holding talks with foreign companies.

Spread over on a sprawling 450-acre land, film city has the facility for indoor and outdoor shootings and is at present managed by the Maharashtra Film and Stage Development Corporation, a state government undertaking. Earlier, media personality and newly-elected Rajya Sabha member Pritish Nandi, ATN and others had evinced interest to take over film city. The government had, however, rejected their proposals.

Thackeray strongly supported the privatisation policies and added thatthere should not be going back on it. He, however, lashed out at the Vajpayee-led government for the Tata's withdrawal from its airline project. "Such a project should have come in. Look at the state of the affairs of Indian Airlines and Air India."

Thackeray expressed disappointment over the consortium of Indian Business School to prefer Hyderabad and not Maharashtra. He admitted it was a big loss for the state and exhorted industrialists to set up their base in the state and work for the prosperity of the state and nation. "I want competition but not cut-throat one," he added.

Thackeray said that the Vadhavan port in Thane should come up as it will be the one of the best and largest in the Asia. He criticised the opponents of the port and added that its development will help local fishermen as they will be provided trawlers by P&O Australia Ports, the developer of the proposed port.

Thackeray said the vexed Coastal Zone Regulations should be scrapped and added that it has been a major hurdle incarrying out various development projects, including the much-ambitious slums rehabilitation scheme in Mumbai. He informed the gathering that the Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp will work as a government company with a Rs 600-crore equity base and construct 50,000 houses in the first phase under the slums rehabilitation scheme in Mumbai.

Thackeray strongly supported the sale of surplus land by city-based textile mills. He, however, made it clear that the mills will not be allowed to go out of the city neither will be permitted to carry out retrechment of workers in a reckless manner. "Despite automation, mill workers will not lose their jobs, and those who want a golden handshake, can go for it," he added.

Thackeray announced that the size of board of directors of loss-making state government undertakings will be pruned and in the new set-up, only posts of president and vice president will exist. "We want to contain curruption," he added. He gave a clean chit to deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde formaintaining the law and order situation in the state.