Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor launched in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government today launched the first phase of the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor project that aims at generating industrial output of Rs 20 lakh crore by 2042.

The mega-infrastructure project will be developed in two phases. The first one includes development of Shendre-Bidkin industrial city and an exhibition-cum-convention centre in Aurangabad, alongwith multi-modal logistics park at Karmad and water supply scheme for Shendre.

In the second phase, projects to be taken up include Dighi port industrial area, Dhule mega industrial park, Nashik-Sinnar-Igatpuri investment region, multimodal logistic park and greenfield mega city in Ahmednagar will be taken up.

"These projects have the potential to make Maharashtra emerge as a world leader in manufacturing and to generate an additional 38 lakh manufacturing jobs in the state with an additional industrial output of Rs 20 lakh crore by 2042," Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said after the formal signing of the shareholder and state support agreements.

The state government will take up the development of Shendre-Bidkin industrial city in the first leg, which will have an investment of Rs 17,319 crore.

Maharashtra government and the DMIC Trust have formed a joint venture for developing these projects wherein the state will have 51 per cent stake, while the rest will be held by DMIC.

"Our contribution will be in the form of providing land, while the Centre's contribution would be to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore for each township project. For the rest, we have tied-up with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)," Chavan said.

The Shendre-Bidkin project is expected to generate 5 lakh jobs.

The DMIC projects in Maharashtra would cover nearly 29 per cent of land area and 18 per cent project influence area. Around 26 per cent of the state's population would come under the corridor that covers eight districts - Thane, Raigad, Pune, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik, Ahmednagar and Aurangabad.