The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of 12 new industrial areas across India, a move designed to boost domestic manufacturing and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The initiative, backed by an investment of ₹28,602 crore, is projected to generate approximately 10 lakh direct jobs and up to 30 lakh indirect jobs, significantly contributing to the country's economic growth.
The government expects these industrial areas to attract total investments worth ₹1.52 lakh crore. To accelerate industrialisation, nodes will be developed along key inter-city corridors, with a focus on sectors such as electronics, textiles, fabricated metals, and more. Additionally, the plan includes introducing a "walk-to-work" concept, offering discounts to anchor investors.
Among the significant projects is the Khurpia industrial park in Uttarakhand, which will receive an investment of ₹6,180 crore and focus on automobiles, automotives, engineering, and fabrication. The Rajpura industrial park in Patiala, Punjab, will concentrate on electronics, textiles, and fabricated metal units, with an investment potential of ₹7,500 crore.
Other notable industrial parks include those planned for Agra and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, with the latter set to focus on EVs, ready-made garments, and cycle manufacturing. In Bihar, a 1,670-acre project in Gaya will be dedicated to agriculture products, fabrication, and furniture manufacturing, while the Dighi port industrial area project in Maharashtra aims to employ over 1.14 lakh people in sectors like engineering, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.
(From: CNBC TV 18)