The Cabinet had in August, approved 12 new project proposals under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) with an estimated investment of Rs 28,602 crore spanning across 10 states.
“These industrial smart cities, represent the next generation of connected, self-sustaining hubs that will support local communities and elevate India’s global standing,” the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said in a statement on the eighth anniversary of four industrial corridors namely Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC), Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC), East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), and Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC).
As per the department, the establishment of these corridors has been a critical step toward transforming India’s industrial landscape.
While the AKIC benefits 40% of India’s population, supporting regional industrial development in one of the world’s most densely populated areas, the CBIC is planned to achieve accelerated development and regional industry agglomeration in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The ECEC is India’s first coastal corridor and has amplified the nation’s trade and export capacities.“Several ports located across the corridor not only serve as international gateways but, more importantly, act as critical links in the supply chain,” the DPIIT said, adding that the BMIC is establishing high-tech, multi-modal logistics and manufacturing hubs that complement existing industrial zones, ensuring balanced regional development and bridging the north-south economic axis.