The development of the proposed Cochin-Coimbatore Industrial Corridor (CCIC) would require a capital outlay in excess of Rs 23,541 crore, according to a final report on the CCIC Master Plan.
Active participation of the State Government, the Centre and the private sector, is contemplated for the prestigious project, according to the final report prepared by consultants, Mahindra Consulting Engineers.
HUGE INVESTMENTS
The proposed corridor development plan and its infrastructural components, along the CCIC Region, is estimated to attract industrial and social infrastructure investment to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore to the corridor districts over a period of the next 10 years.
This would create an estimated two lakh direct employment opportunities and nearly five lakh indirect employment opportunities.
A two-tier structure has been proposed for the implementation of the corridor development plan.
THREE DISTRICTS
The original proposal was to prepare a comprehensive corridor development plan for creating an industrial corridor connecting Cochin and Coimbatore along the three corridor districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad.
Infrastructure Kerala Ltd (Inkel), a specialised State Government agency, was engaged to develop the road map for the project.
The strategy for the development of the corridor region was to address the key concern of regional imbalances and sectoral imbalances to make development processes inclusive and holistic resulting in the balances growth of the State.
INDUSTRIAL NODES
The proposed project is expected to address the issue of the development of the secondary sector in the State.
The project vision is the holistic development of the corridor comprising industrial/business nodes which are sustainable and leveraging on local resources supported by modern infrastructure but without destabilising the State's green environment.
Accordingly, 12 potential industrial nodes and two tourism/recreational nodes have been identified.
The total area of identified land parcels comes to around 5,500 hectares (13,750 acres).
PPP MODEL
The 14 development nodes will comprise nine industrial/manufacturing zones, two agro-processing zones, one power hub and two tourism zones.
Project components, which are generally amenable for tapping revenue streams and annuity funding by the Government, can be considered for Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
However, the consultants suggested that annuity funding by the State Government may be discouraged as this may impose large-scale future liabilities on it.
The strategy for selection of ‘industrial nodes' and ‘industrial clusters' along the corridor has factored in the potential for investment inflow into the region.
REVERSE MIGRATION
This is expected to translate into creation of employment opportunities for the high-quality skilled human resource base of the State.
The aim is to initiate a trend of ‘reverse migration' by attracting Keralites from all parts of the world to their home State in view of the emerging employment opportunities.