Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Saturday announced a slew of projects for Rajasthan, including India’s first national manufacturing and investment zone and a Rs. 100 crore footwear design centre.
“Rajasthan will be the first State to have National Manufacturing and Investment Zone (NMIZ), along with the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC),” Sharma said after meeting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here.
The Centre has floated a concept paper on the proposed NMIZs, which will be mega-industrial towns with integrated infrastructure.
Sharma was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.
“Integrated industrial development will take place in the region with NMIZ and DMIC. Right from power projects to educational institutions, entire infrastructure will come up in this region in future,” he told reporters.
The USD 90 billion DMIC project would run in six States along the dedicated freight corridor of the Railways.
The minister also said that an Industrial Infrastructure Up-gradation Centre will be set up, possibly along the DMIC.
He also said that a Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) for specialised training will be set up at Jodhpur at an estimated cost of Rs. 100 crore and a Rs. 15 crore spice park at Ramganj Mandi.
“The Planning Commission has given an in-principle nod to set up FDDI in Jodhpur and its funding pattern will be finalised soon. A spice park will also be set up in Ramganjmandi of Kota district due to the availability of big volume of processing, packaging and export units,” he said.
The Centre also plans to assist the State government in the establishment of about 100 ornamental fish breeding units in fives districts of the State.
He said the projects would generate employment.
Sharma said that a decision has been taken to start skill training initiatives on a big scale in the State. “The pilot project will be in Bhiwari, which would be operational in April, 2011,” he said.
In this regard, a skill development centre will be set up by industry chamber CII in collaboration with the State government.
The Commerce and Industry Minister further said the Coffee Board will organise a Trade Fair in Jaipur in October and will also train people on roasting and grinding coffee.
In addition, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will set up another pack -house at Bassi for export of vegetables from Rajasthan.
