National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Ltd. (NICDC) has appointed CH2M HILL (India) Private Ltd. in consortium with CH2M HILL International Ltd. for preparing a detailed master plan, and a detailed project report for the Smart Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) at Palakkad. The contract valued at ₹6.78 crore will be for 30 months, said a press release here on Monday
The extension of the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor Project (CBIC) to Kochi and Coimbatore was approved by National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) in September last year. The Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (KBIC) seeks to optimise economic and employment potential, stimulating investment in manufacturing, agro-processing, services and export-oriented units.
160 km in Kerala
The project also aims at enhancing skill development and manufacturing infrastructure. The length of the corridor in Kerala would be nearly 160 km. The IMC that will come along the corridor will boost manufacturing activities, including electronics, IT, biotechnology, and life sciences, in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, and Palakkad districts. In the first phase, the Kerala government will develop the Palakkad node where nearly 1,800 acres of land has been identified for developing the IMC, which will act as a hub for setting up major manufacturing units.
₹10,000-crore investment
The project will spur growth in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) as well as supply chain logistics through private sector participation, acting as spokes for the Palakkad industrial development area. The project is expected to attract investment of ₹10,000 crore and generate direct employment for 22,000 and indirect employment of 80,000. The tax revenue to the State is anticipated to the tune of ₹585 crore a year.