Sitharaman urges for faster completion of infrastructure, land allotment, investment and commencement of production

Nirmala Sitharaman, chaired the 3rd Meeting of the Apex Monitoring Authority of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) in New Delhi yesterday. The meeting reviewed the progress of projects under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) and deliberated on priorities for the next phase of industrial corridor development.

The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal; Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav; and Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog, Shri Ashok Kumar Lahiri.

Chairing the meeting, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman appreciated the progress made under NICDP and said that the encouraging results on the ground indicate growing investor demand. She emphasised that the next pipeline of industrial land and infrastructure should be prepared well before the existing inventory is exhausted.

Smt. Sitharaman stated that Industrial Corridors are an important pillar of the Government of India’s strategy to expand manufacturing, strengthen logistics competitiveness and create globally competitive industrial ecosystems.

Recalling the emphasis placed at the previous Apex meeting, she said that Industrial Corridor development should be taken forward in the spirit of ‘Team India’. She also underlined the importance of convergence of Freight, Industrial Development, Railways and Expressways, the FIRE Corridors, for the success of the programme.

The Finance Minister stressed that the focus must now move beyond project approvals towards timely completion of infrastructure, land allotment, investment and commencement of production. She urged States to resolve bottlenecks relating to land, connectivity, utilities, statutory clearances and the powers of project Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).

She further stressed the need for integrated planning through PM GatiShakti and continued use of investor-friendly land allotment mechanisms. Worker housing, healthcare, skilling, public transport and other social amenities, she said, should form an integral part of industrial development.

Smt. Sitharaman also highlighted the Government of India’s support for infrastructure and manufacturing through enhanced public capital expenditure, support to States under SASCI, improved credit support for manufacturing MSMEs, and tax and customs measures aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, called for faster and outcome-oriented implementation of Industrial Corridor projects, with greater focus on timely investment and operationalisation.

Shri Goyal stated that BHAVYA and future industrial developments should be aligned with PM GatiShakti and planned through an integrated area-development approach.

He called for focused investor outreach and stronger marketing of industrial nodes, including leveraging opportunities arising from India’s Free Trade Agreements and exploring country- and sector-specific industrial enclaves.

The Minister emphasised the need to match investor requirements with suitable locations and develop ready-to-use industrial ecosystems with plug-and-play infrastructure, flatted factories, worker housing and supporting economic and social infrastructure. Such an approach, he said, would facilitate faster investment and commencement of operations.

The National Industrial Corridor Development Programme now covers 20 approved projects across 13 States and 7 Industrial Corridors.