 "FM reviews infra projects under NICDIT, urges states to tie up loose ends")
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday reviewed the progress of projects under the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and urged states to tie up loose ends and resolve all pending issues through greater exchange.
NICDIT seeks to create greenfield smart industrial cities with sustainable 'plug n play' and information and communications technology ICT-enabled utilities.
It is within the overall framework of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan NMP. It aims to create quality infrastructure and keep land parcels ready for allotment to attract investments in the manufacturing sector and position India strongly in Global Value Chains (GVCs).
Addressing the second meeting of the apex monitoring authority of the NICDIT organised in hybrid mode here, Sitharaman urged all the states to tie up loose ends and move forward and resolve all pending issues through greater exchange and sharing of information to expedite the progress of works in the respective states.
She emphasised the need to ensure continued coordination between the central and the state governments and said they should work collectively as Team India.'
The Finance Minister stated that "FIRE Corridors (F Freight; I Industrial; R Railways; E Expressways)" will ignite industrialisation and economic development in India, an official statement said.
She stated that the rapidity with which the infrastructure is being developed since 2014 needs to be maintained.
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She asked the state governments and NICDIT to maintain the same momentum for realising the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a Developed India by 2047.
During the review, Special Secretary DPIIT Sumita Dawra apprised that as per the directions of the Finance Minister in the previous meeting, round table conferences, road shows and meetings with international associations are being organised at different places with the support of states and special purpose vehicles (SPVs).
"For the development of Industrial Corridor nodes, multi-modal connectivity is being provided by different Ministries of Govt. of India under various flagship schemes like #Bharatmala, #Sagarmala, National Waterways, Dedicated Freight Corridors, National Gas Grid, etc," the finance ministry said in a tweet.
The meeting was also attended by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Shipping Minister Sarbanand Sonwal and Niti Aayog vice chairman Suman Bery, besides senior officials from various ministries.
Chief Ministers from four states -- Gujarat, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra, while ministers from 9 States -- Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Rajasthan -- besides senior officials from all the states attended the meeting.
Goyal emphasised the financial viability of the projects and for faster allotment of lands at reasonable rates.
He stated that states should adopt innovative models and offer package deals etc. for faster investments, and ensure that electricity rates should be affordable and consistent as high rates of electricity are a deterrent to the industry.
He also urged state governments to expedite the acquisition of contiguous, litigation-encumbrance-free land and grant early environmental clearances for the NICDIT projects.
States should focus on expediting the finalisation and execution of the shareholders' agreements and State Support Agreements, he added.
Goyal directed NICDC to foreclose the projects where the state government is not able to provide committed land in a time-bound manner and to conceive projects in other states that are willing to offer land to expedite investments in their respective states.
During the meeting, Sitharaman urged that there should be no politicisation of economic development and that all states should work collectively as Team India to iron out the issues in developing industrial corridors.
"FM Smt.@nsitharaman sought the support of the States to resolve the issues in operationalising the #IndustrialCorridors such as expediting land acquisition, facilitating the implementation of external #infrastructure linkages, etc," a tweet said.
The meeting proved to be a valuable platform for key stakeholders to discuss and exchange ideas on the progress, challenges, and future strategies related to the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme.
It presented an opportunity to align efforts, foster collaboration, and accelerate the development of industrial infrastructure across the country, the statement said.
Further steps to be taken into consideration for the advancement of the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme were the main points of discussion during the meeting of the apex authority, it noted.
The National Industrial Corridor Development Programme aims to establish a network of industrial corridors that will serve as engines of economic growth, promote industrialisation and create employment opportunities across India.
The programme focuses on developing world-class infrastructure, attracting investments and fostering sustainable industrial development, it added.