Thiruvananthapuram: The Central Government has approved a proposal to establish smart industrial cities in 12 locations, including Palakkad, with a total investment of Rs. 28,602 crore. The Palakkad industrial city, set to be developed with an investment of Rs. 3,806 crore, will create approximately 51,000 job opportunities. This approval is part of the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) extension. Kerala Minister for Industries P Rajeev said that the state government already approved 82 per cent of the land required for the project. He added that the Centre approved the Palakkad project as the state had already completed preliminary works worth Rs. 1,790 crore.

"About 82% of the land required was acquired as early as 2022. We are focused on completing the project promptly. The Detailed Project Report and the master plan have already received approvals," he said.

Among the 12 newly announced smart industrial cities, Palakkad ranks second in terms of investment. The project will span 1,710 acres and is expected to attract an additional Rs 8,729 crore in investments upon completion. The Palakkad industrial city will focus on sectors such as medical, chemical, and botanical products, high-tech industries, non-metallic mineral products, fabricated metal products, rubber-plastic products, and machinery and equipment.

These 12 projects have been approved as part of six industrial corridors across 10 states. The smart industrial cities are a key element of the government’s strategy to attract foreign investment, boost domestic manufacturing, and generate employment. They will be strategically located to ensure maximum impact.

However, one of the cities has not been named due to the Model Code of Conduct in poll-bound Haryana. The Centre expects these projects to have an overall investment potential of Rs. 1,52,757 crore and create 9.39 lakh jobs. The projects will feature multi-modal connectivity infrastructure, ensuring seamless movement of people, goods, and services.

Work to start in 2024
The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) plans to commence work on the Palakkad industrial city within the current financial year, with project completion targeted for 2027.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal explained that state governments are responsible for approving the project master plan and ensuring adequate connectivity to the project area, including roads. Authorities have already acquired 1,274.8 acres of land in the Kanjikkode and Kannambra panchayat near Vadakkancherry. Although the project requires 1,710 acres, the authorities propose to acquire 1,774.5 acres.

Six Industrial Corridors; 12 Industrial Cities
The Union Government has approved 12 smart industrial city projects across six industrial corridors in 10 states:

I. Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor
1) Khurpiya, Uttarakhand – Rs. 1,265 crore on 1,002 acres
2) Rajpura, Patiala, Punjab – Rs.1,367 crore on 1,099 acres
3) Agra, Uttar Pradesh – Rs. 1,812 crore on 1,058 acres
4) Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh – Rs. 658 crore on 352 acres
5) Gaya, Bihar – Rs. 1,339 crore on 1,670 acres

II. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
1) Digi Airport, Maharashtra – Rs. 5,469 crore on 6,056 acres
2) Jodhpur, Rajasthan – Rs. 922 crore on 1,578 acres

III. Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor
1) Kupparathi, Andhra Pradesh – Rs. 2,137 crore on 2,596 acres

IV. Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor
1) Orvakal, Andhra Pradesh – Rs. 2,786 crore on 2,621 acres

V. Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridor
1) Zaheerabad, Telangana – Rs. 2,361 crore on 3,245 acres

VI. Chennai-Bengaluru – Extension Kochi
1) Palakkad, Kerala – Rs. 3,806 crore on 1,710 acres
2)Haryana- city yet to be named

Other Industrial Corridors in the Country
1. Hyderabad-Warangal
2. Odisha
3. Bengaluru-Mumbai
4. Delhi-Nagpur
5. Chennai-Bengaluru