Nikhil Bhalerao
The Maharashtra government has decided to speed up the two phases of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) along with the completion of the first integrated industrial greenfield city, Aurangabad Industrial City or AURIC, by 2022. “Indian’s first smart industrial city with the concept of ‘walk to work’ is expected to bring investments worth Rs 70,000 crore and jobs to three lakh people,” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The bhumipujan of AURIC was performed late on Saturday night and was attended by the CM.
Located on the outskirts of Auranagabad, AURIC will be built on 10,000 acres of land. The state and Centre gave all clearances for the project. Expressing satisfaction over the pace of work in the two phases of DMIC, Fadnavis said, “The government is engaged in discussions with 150 investors and vendors from Japan and South Korea.”
The Hyosung Group, which committed an investment of Rs 3,000 crore in AURIC to build factory for manufacturing spandex, has provided the anchor, he added. The group had signed the MoU with the state government during Magnetic Maharashtra on February 20.
A sub-committee, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has already sanctioned Rs 6,500 crore for Bidkin and Rs 1,533 crore for Shendra for infrastructure and related developmental projects.
“The completion of the Rs 46,000-crore Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Corridor and Jalna dry port, will also play a significant role in boosting the economic development of AURIC,” the CM added. Along with the DMIC, these two projects will improve connectivity and thereby boost economic activities in the state.
The DMIC will be enforced in two phases in the 36 districts of Maharashtra, covering 29 per cent land. The project is deemed significant as it will impact 26 per cent of the state’s 11.20 crore population.
The DMIC criss-crosses at least eight important districts — Aurangabad, Dhule, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Thane, Nandurbar, Raigad and Pune. The project will also boost development across Marathwada, North Maharashtra, Konkan and Western Maharashtra regions.
The inclusion of tribal belt comprising Nandurbar, Nashik and Dhule is a concerted effort to give these most backward districts a new economic identity through industrial projects.
Another aspect which was highlighted in the roadmap was the impact of AURIC on the backward region of Marathwada. The project presentation mentioned how AURIC was planned to cash in on global investors. This will help in industrial growth beyond Aurangabad with efforts to promote ancialliary units in adjoining seven oth
