New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has given the green light for the development of 12 industrial smart cities across 10 states, with a total estimated cost of Rs 28,602 crore. This ambitious project is set to attract investments amounting to Rs 1.52 lakh crore and is expected to generate approximately 9.39 lakh direct jobs, with the potential to create up to 30 lakh indirect employment opportunities.Strategic locations across six industrial corridorsUnion Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday that these industrial smart cities will be spread across six major industrial corridors, namely Amritsar-Kolkata, Delhi-Mumbai, Vizag-Chennai, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Nagpur, and Chennai-Bengaluru. The identified locations for these cities include Khurpia in Uttarakhand, Rajpura-Patiala in Punjab, Dighi in Maharashtra, Palakkad in Kerala, Agra and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Gaya in Bihar, Zaheerabad in Telangana, Orvakal and Kopparthy in Andhra Pradesh, and Jodhpur-Pali in Rajasthan.In addition to the smart city developments, the Cabinet has also approved three significant railway infrastructure projects, covering a total distance of 296 kilometers, with an estimated investment of Rs 6,456 crore. These projects are expected to greatly enhance rail connectivity and spur regional development, particularly benefiting districts such as Odishas Nuapada and Jharkhands East Singhbhum.The Cabinet also announced the expansion of the Agri Infrastructure Fund, which was initially launched in 2020 with a budget of Rs 1 lakh crore. The fund, designed to enhance post-harvest agricultural infrastructure, will now cover integrated secondary processing and support Component A of the PM-Kusum scheme by providing credit guarantees. This expansion aims to empower farmers by enabling them to add value to their produce and establish agri-based industries.Support for hydro-electric projects in the northeastIn a move to bolster clean energy initiatives, the government has approved equity support amounting to Rs 4,136 crore for the development of hydroelectric projects in the North Eastern states. These projects, with a potential to generate 62 GW of hydroelectric power, are expected to significantly contribute to Indias climate goals and bring development to the region.
