Tamil Nadu seeks Centre’s nod for Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram industrial corridor, support for 7 parks

Tamil Nadu has urged the Centre to consider its proposal for a Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram industrial corridor and initiate the necessary feasibility and alignment studies. The proposed corridor could help strengthen industrial connectivity between major industrial centres and create opportunities for manufacturing, investment and employment.The state has also sought support for seven industrial park proposals submitted under the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (Bhavya).Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Minister S Keerthana raised the demands at the 3rd Apex Monitoring Authority meeting of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) in New Delhi on Monday.The meeting was chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and senior officials from the Centre and Tamil Nadu in attendance.Tamil Nadu seeks feasibility study for new industrial corridorKeerthana urged the Centre to consider the proposed Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram corridor and begin the necessary feasibility and alignment studies. The proposed corridor is intended to improve industrial connectivity between major industrial centres and create opportunities for manufacturing, investment and employment.At the meeting, Sitharaman pointed out that the Chennai–Thoothukudi industrial corridor was first proposed in 2014, but said the proposal did not receive sufficient attention from successive Tamil Nadu governments despite follow-ups from the Centre.Keerthana said the state government would submit a formal representation to the Union ministers, Business Line reported citing sources in the State industries department.Centre signals support for 7 Bhavya industrial park proposalsTamil Nadu also sought Central support for seven proposals submitted in the first round of Bhavya, a Central sector scheme focused on developing investment-ready, plug-and-play industrial parks. Goyal said a significant number of the proposals could be considered, subject to meeting the prescribed Bhavya guidelines, eligibility criteria and other requirements.The Tamil Nadu government reiterated its commitment to work with the Centre to strengthen the state’s industrial ecosystem, improve inter-state connectivity and create an enabling environment for investment and employment.Industrial corridor projects already underway across IndiaThe Centre is developing a network of industrial corridors under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP), with projects spread across 11 corridors. According to a PIB report, published in February, four projects have been completed and four are nearing completion, while various other projects remain under implementation.The network includes corridors such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor, Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, among others.The Centre has also approved 12 additional projects under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, with a total project cost of ₹28,602 crore. These projects are being developed as manufacturing and investment hubs with plug-and-play infrastructure and are expected to create investment and employment opportunities.Tamil Nadu already features in this network through the Ponneri Industrial Area under the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and the Dharmapuri-Salem Industrial Area under the Extension of CBIC to Kochi via Coimbatore.

Source link