16 National Investment and Manufacturing Zones(NIMZS) to Boost Manufacturing Sector

In order to boost manufacturing sector, the government has already announced setting up of sixteen national investment and manufacturing zones (NIMZs). The National Manufacturing Policy (NMP) has the objective of enhancing the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent and creating 100 million jobs over a decade. The NMP provides for promotion of clusters and aggregation, especially through the creation of national investment and manufacturing zones (NIMZ). Till 2013-14, 16 NIMZs are being set up. Of these, eight are along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Besides, eight other NIMZs have been given in-principle approval: (i) Nagpur in Maharashtra, (ii) Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, (iii) Medak in Andhra Pradesh (now Telengana), (iv) Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh (v) Tumkur in Karnataka, (vi) Kolar in Karnataka, (vii) Bidar in Karnataka, and (viii) Gulbarga in Karnataka.

The DMIC project was launched in pursuance of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the Government of India and the Government of Japan in December, 2006. The project, spans the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra along the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) of the Railways. The DMIC Development Corporation (DMICDC), incorporated in 2008, is the implementing agency for the project. The Master plans for all the nodes except the Dadri-Noida-Ghaziabad Investment Region in Uttar Pradesh have been completed and approved by the state governments. Land acquisition for the new industrial regions/ areas as well as for the early bird projects identified for development as model initiatives is in different stages of progress in different states. The DMIC Trust has taken investment decisions on nine projects and action to implement them has already been initiated by the DMICDC.

The Chennai-Bengaluru-Chitradurga industrial corridor (around 560 km) will benefit the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Study Team undertook the Preliminary Study for Comprehensive Integrated Master Plan for Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) and identified a total of 25 priority projects across various sectors aimed at removing infrastructural bottlenecks. Progress on these projects is being regularly monitored.

India and the United Kingdom have signed an MOU for the development of a new Bengaluru-Mumbai Economic corridor (BMEC). A feasibility study has been undertaken and is scheduled to be completed during 2014. A joint steering group will be set up for the project after the feasibility study.

A concept note has been prepared by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on an East Coast Economic Corridor linking Kolkata-Chennai-Tuticorin and it has been decided to initiate a feasibility study with the help of the ADB. In view of the commitment made by the central government under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, in the first phase of the study the ADB will focus on the Vizag-Chennai Section so that a final view on the Chennai-Vizag Industrial Corridor may be taken within the timeline prescribed in the Act and further action taken accordingly.

The government has, in January 2014, accorded ‘in principle’ approval for setting up of an Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) along a 150-200 km band on either side of the Easter Dedicated Freight Corridor(EDFC) in a phased manner. The proposed Corridor comprises seven states: Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The government has also approved ‘in principle’ formation of an Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (AKICDC). It is proposed to set up the AKICDC during 2014-15 to kickstart work on the AKIC.