Nod for two more manufacturing zones in Karnataka

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SME Times News Bureau | 24 Dec, 2013
The central government cleared Karnataka's proposals to set up two more National Investment & Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) in the northern region of the state, union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said Monday.

"We have approved two more NIMZs for Karnataka at Bidar and Gulbarga to attract investments and create jobs in the manufacturing sector," Sharma told reporters in Banglore after reviewing projects with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior officials.

Though the ministry cleared the first manufacturing zone at Tumkur, about 70km from Bangalore early this year, it is waiting for the state's proposal to set up the fourth NIMZ at Kolar, about 100 km from Bangalore.

As part of the new national manufacturing policy, the central government has directed the states across the country to set up NIMZ under the public-private partnership (PPP) to increase the share of the manufacturing sector to 25 percent of the GDP from 16 percent and generate about 100 million jobs over the next decade.

"The NIMZs are envisaged as integrated industrial townships with incentives, infrastructure, clean and energy efficient technology and skill development facilities for productive ecosystem spanning primary, secondary and tertiary sectors," Sharma said.

Each zone will need at least 5,000 acres of land for developing world class infrastructure and road and rail connectivity.

"The ministry has till date approved setting up of 14 NIMZs across the country, including eight in the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor," Sharma noted.

The state government's equity contribution will be in the form of land while the central government will provide the infrastructure.

"The upcoming Information Technology Investment Region (IITR) at Devanahalli near the Bangalore international airport will also be given the status of NIMZ to attract investments in the knowledge sector," Sharma said.

The minister reviewed the progress on the Bangalore-Mumbai and Bangalore-Chennai industrial corridors at the meeting with Siddaramaiah.

"We have accepted the state's proposal to extend the Bangalore-Chennai corridor up to Chitradurga, (230km away). The Japanese government, which is partnering with the state government in the project has also agreed for the extension," Sharma said.

Britain is the country partner for the Bangalore-Mumbai corridor, which spreads across 1,000km between the two states and has potential to attract USD 25-billion and generate 2.5 million jobs.