Union Cabinet approves establishing 12 industrial smart cities

These will come up across 10 states

The estimated investment will be Rs 28,602 crore

The Union Cabinet has approved a major development initiative to establish 12 industrial smart cities across 10 states, with an estimated investment of Rs 28,602 crore. This ambitious project is expected to attract investments worth Rs 1.52 lakh crore and create approximately 9.39 lakh direct jobs, with the potential for up to 30 lakh indirect employment opportunities.

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Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday that these smart cities will be developed within six key industrial corridors, including Amritsar-Kolkata, Delhi-Mumbai, Vizag-Chennai, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Nagpur, and Chennai-Bengaluru. The selected locations for these industrial hubs 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 industrial smart cities, the Cabinet has approved three significant railway infrastructure projects spanning 296 kilometers, with a projected cost of Rs 6,456 crore. These projects aim to enhance rail connectivity and are expected to play a crucial role in regional development, particularly in underserved districts like Nuapada in Odisha and East Singhbhum in Jharkhand.

The dual focus on industrial and infrastructure development underscores the government’s commitment to boosting economic growth and creating employment opportunities across the country.