Centre’s Industrial Corridor Projects giving big push to manufacturing: Minister

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India’s industrial development is getting a big push with work in full swing on projects under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) aimed at the development of greenfield industrial areas in the country which can compete with the best manufacturing and investment destinations in the world, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Centre has already completed major trunk infrastructure works in the new Shendra-Bidkin Industrial Area (SBIA) for which Rs 3,000 crore has been released as equity and 294 companies, including Hyosung Corporation of South Korea, have been allotted developed plots across 2,620 acres to set up factories in the backward district of Maharashtra’s Aurangabad as part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), the Minister said in a written reply.

Dighi Port Industrial Area (DPIA) in Raigad district of Maharashtra is also being taken up for development under the National Industrial Corridor Development Project (NICDP) with a total project cost of Rs. 5,468 crores in August. The project is likely to generate an employment potential of one lakh is likely to have an investment potential of Rs 12,000 crore, the Minister said.

Under NICDP, the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) has also been conceptualised on the backbone of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor), two projects namely IMC Agra and IMC Prayagraj proposed by the state government has been considered and approved by the Government of India in August. As part of AKIC, Shahjahanpur falls under the influence zone, he further stated.

The government has also approved the Central Sector Scheme “Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP)” with an allocation of Rs 1700.00 crore till March 31, 2026, to promote industrial development, the Minister explained.

Under IFLDP, assistance has been provided to Maharashtra for the Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) sub-scheme: Rs 5.75 lakh has been provided for technology upgradation of one unit in the state of Maharashtra during 2021-22 to 2024-25. A Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Development (MLFACD) has also been approved at Ratwad Village in Maharashtra with a total project cost of Rs 256.42 crore involving Government of India assistance of Rs.125.00 crore.

In addition, the Government of India has approved Central Sector Schemes for Industrial Development of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir(J&K) and Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh: The Industrial Development Scheme (IDS), for UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh so far, Rs 93.09 crore has been spent as incentives under this scheme. Under the IDS for Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Uttarakhand (UK) so far, Rs 642.63 crore has been released as incentives under this scheme. While under the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) for Industrial Development of Jammu and Kashmir so far, Rs 299.10 crore has been disbursed as incentives, the Minister added.