Goyal Proposes Govt-Backed Industrial Enclaves to Italians

• India will develop dedicated industrial enclaves with full amenities for Italian businesses in smart cities.
• Locations like Dighi and Sambhaji Nagar are being offered to Italian companies.
• 12 smart cities and 100 industrial parks aim to attract ₹1.5 lakh crore investment and create 40 lakh jobs.

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said that industrial enclaves with full social infrastructure would be developed for Italian businesses to encourage investments in India. These would be located on prime industrial corridors, providing space for a host of manufacturing facilities and office complexes. One of the 12 smart industrial cities being set up across the country may well be designated for these enclaves.

The government wants to invite Italian companies to scout for potential sites in industrial smart cities such as Dighi near Mumbai and Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) in Maharashtra. Other than this, the 2024 budget also covers the setting up of 100 industrial parks around big cities.

At Italy India Business Forum, Piyush Goyal said, "I have a proposition for you. We can set up Italian enclaves where Italian businesses can set up shops…we can set up hotels, restaurants, healthcare for Italian people who would come to work there. It will be home away from home for them".

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He added, "Framework for the industrial parks around the cities is being worked out. These parks would be less than 500 acres and if Italian companies want these can also be offered".

The government had given approval for 12 smart industrial cities in August last year, spread across 10 states, with an investment worth Rs 28,602 crore. These cities would spread over an area of more than 26,000 acres and fall under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme. They are envisaged to attract investments of Rs 1.5 lakh crore, creating 10 lakh direct jobs and 30 lakh indirect jobs.

Locations of the smart cities include Khurpia in Uttarakhand, Rajpura in Punjab, Agra and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Gaya in Bihar, Dighi Port in Maharashtra, Jodhpur Pali Marwar in Rajasthan, Kopparthy and Orvakal in Andhra, Zaheerabad in Telangana, and Palakkad in Kerala, majorly along industrial corridors such as Amritsar-Kolkata, Delhi-Mumbai, etc.