Piyush Goyal reviews progress of NICDC-led industrial nodes

New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal chaired a high-level review meeting at the Tobacco Board, Guntur, to assess the progress of NICDC-led industrial nodes in Andhra Pradesh under various industrial corridors.

According to a release from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the review meeting held on on 15th June 2025, focused on the development of three major nodes in the state--Krishnapatnam Industrial Area under the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC), Orvakal Industrial Area under the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (HBIC), and Kopparthy Industrial Area under the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC).

Union Minister Goyal directed officials to focus on attracting anchor investors and startups by building innovation-friendly ecosystems within each industrial node. He stressed the need to establish dedicated incubators to nurture early-stage enterprises and facilitate a robust startup ecosystem.

The Minister also instructed officials to earmark zones within each node for MSMEs and startups, offering subsidised rates and equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and technological support.

Highlighting the need for global partnerships, Goyal advocated for organising country-specific investment conclaves to attract targeted foreign investments. He further called for the creation of a centralised dashboard to enable real-time monitoring of project progress and urged the adoption of advanced testing and quality control mechanisms to ensure world-class infrastructure.

Reaffirming the Government of India's commitment to transforming Andhra Pradesh into a symbol of industrial excellence and innovation, the Minister said the state is poised to become "Swarnandhra Pradesh"--a beacon of inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.

The meeting was attended by Member of Parliament (Guntur) Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani; Minister of State for Rural Development & Communications, T.G. Bharath; Minister of Industries & Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh, N. Yuvaraj; Secretary of Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Rajat Kumar Saini; CEO & MD, NICDC, Abhishikth Kishore; Managing Director, APIIC, and senior officials from NICDC, APICDC, and other stakeholder agencies.

The session began with detailed presentations on all three NICDC nodes by the Vice Chairman & Managing Director, APIIC, followed by an overview of Andhra Pradesh's industrial roadmap under the ambitious "Swarna Andhra 2047" framework presented by the Secretary, Industries.

CEO & MD, NICDC Rajat Kumar Saini, emphasised the importance of fast-tracking land acquisition, timely execution of external infrastructure by the State Government, and ensuring quality standards throughout project implementation.

Andhra Pradesh is the only state in India to host industrial nodes under three separate industrial corridors, reflecting its commitment to integrated planning, robust infrastructure, and strong institutional support. These projects represent a transformative phase of industrialisation for both the state and the nation.

The Krishnapatnam Node, spread over 2,006 acres, has an investment potential of approximately Rs 10,500 crore and is expected to generate around 1 lakh jobs. The Orvakal Node, covering 2,621 acres, is projected to attract Rs 12,000 crore in investments and create employment for nearly 45,000 people. Meanwhile, the Kopparthy Node, spanning 2,596 acres, is anticipated to bring in investments of Rs 8,800 crore and generate jobs for approximately 54,000 individuals.

As per the release, the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) is an initiative of the Government of India under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It is dedicated to developing next-generation industrial smart cities aimed at boosting manufacturing, attracting investments, generating employment, and enhancing India's global economic competitiveness.

NICDC ensures seamless multimodal connectivity, plug-and-play infrastructure, and sustainable urbanisation through its flagship corridors: Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC), Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC), East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), and Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC).