Mumbai, Mar 14 (IANS): The Maharashtra government is keen to secure financial assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for major infra-structure projects coming up in the state, an official said here on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde conveyed the same to a high-level JICA delegation which met him, and said funds were needed for implementing mega-projects in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra.

The state has sought help for ambitious projects like the ongoing Mumbai Metro underground lines, the Mumbai-Goa Expressway, the Virar (Palghar)-Alibaug (Raigad) multi-modal corridor, etc.

The team from JICA -- which has given massive loans for the upcoming Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train and Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and other big-ticket projects being executed in the state -- has assured Japan's full support to the state government for its planned ventures.

The visiting delegation comprised JICA Director Takuya Otsuka, Assistant Director (South Asia) Masanori Sakamoto and others, while Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority Commissioner S.V.R. Srinivas, Director-General in the War Room Radhesham Mopalwar, Additional Chief Secretary (Planning) Rajkumar Deora and others assisted the CM.

Shinde assured that he would appoint a coordinating officer to oversee financial assistance for the big projects and said the state had secured project investments of around Rs 1.37 lakh crore at the World Economic Forum meeting held in Davos last January.