Shri Piyush Goyal Calls for Innovation-Driven Industrial Nodes with Dedicated Startup Zones, Global Investment Conclaves, and Real-Time Project Monitoring

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, chaired a high-level review meeting on 15th June 2025 at the Tobacco Board, Guntur, to assess the progress of NICDC-led industrial nodes in Andhra Pradesh under various industrial corridors.

The review 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).

Shri 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 subsidized rates and equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and technological support.

Highlighting the need for global partnerships, Shri Goyal advocated for organizing country-specific investment conclaves to attract targeted foreign investments. He further called for the creation of a centralized 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) Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani; Minister of State for Rural Development & Communications, Shri T.G. Bharath; Minister of Industries & Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. N. Yuvaraj; Secretary of Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Rajat Kumar Saini; CEO & MD, NICDC, Shri 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 Shri Rajat Kumar Saini, emphasized 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: India’s Emerging Industrial Powerhouse

Andhra Pradesh is the only state in the country to host industrial nodes under three separate Industrial Corridors. With integrated planning, robust infrastructure, and strong institutional backing, these projects mark a new era of industrialization in the state and the nation:

• Krishnapatnam Node (2,006 acres): Investment potential of approx. ₹10,500 crore with employment generation of 1 lakh jobs.
• Orvakal Node (2,621 acres): Projected investment of ₹12,000 crore and employment for approx. 45,000 people.
• Kopparthy Node (2,596 acres): Expected to attract ₹8,800 crore with job creation for approx. 54,000 individuals.

About NICDC

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 urbanization 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).