New Delhi, 18 March (H.S.): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA), a transformative scheme to build 100 plug‑and‑play industrial parks across India with an outlay of ₹33,660 crore.

Announced on Wednesday, the programme is designed to create world‑class industrial ecosystems, cut red tape, and position manufacturing‑led growth at the centre of India’s “Viksit Bharat” agenda.

Vision and structure of BHAVYABHAVYA aims to develop medium‑ to large‑scale industrial parks, each spanning 100 to 1,000 acres, with ready‑to‑use land, pre‑approved clearances and integrated infrastructure. The model draws on the experience of Industrial Smart Cities under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) framework and will be implemented in partnership with state governments and private developers.

The scheme is structured around three pillars: world‑class core infrastructure, value‑added industrial support facilities and social infrastructure for workers.

Under BHAVYA, the government will provide up to ₹1 crore per acre of financial support, used for internal roads, underground utilities, drainage, common effluent and treatment facilities, ICT backbone and administrative systems, as well as ready‑built factory sheds, built‑to‑suit units, testing labs and warehousing.

An additional 25% of project cost can be allocated for external connectivity such as approach roads, power links and rail‑freight spurs.

At the heart of BHAVYA is a push to make starting and scaling industrial projects faster and more predictable. The scheme ensures pre‑approved land use, pre‑laid utilities, integrated services and single‑window clearances at the state level, so that companies can move from investment intent to production in significantly less time.

Project proposals will be selected via a challenge‑mode competitive process, favouring states that offer the most investor‑friendly regulations, streamlined approvals and credible implementation plans.

Each park will be developed as a plug‑and‑play ecosystem, with modular plots, standardised building envelopes and ready‑connected power, water, telecom and waste systems. This reduces the risk, cost and time typically associated with land acquisition, infrastructure development and inter‑agency clearances, making India more competitive for both domestic manufacturers and foreign investors.

The BHAVYA‑driven industrial parks will follow PM GatiShakti‑aligned planning, emphasising seamless multi‑modal connectivity between road, rail, ports and logistics hubs. Underground utility corridors will support a “no‑dig” environment, minimising service disruptions and enabling efficient maintenance while integrating green‑energy sources and sustainable‑resource management into park design.

By clustering related industries, suppliers, logistics providers and service firms in the same zone, the scheme aims to shorten supply‑chain distances, cut transaction costs and enhance productivity. The parks are expected to set new benchmarks for reliability, safety and environmental standards in India’s industrial landscape.

Government estimates indicate that BHAVYA will generate hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in manufacturing, logistics, construction, maintenance and supporting services. The scheme is open to all states and union territories, with a deliberate focus on promoting regional industrialisation and reducing the concentration of industry in a few traditional hubs.

The primary beneficiaries will be manufacturing units, MSMEs, startups and global investors seeking turnkey industrial space, while secondary beneficiaries include workers, logistics operators, service‑sector enterprises and local communities that gain from improved employment, infrastructure and economic activity.

By co‑locating firms within clusters, BHAVYA is also expected to strengthen domestic supply chains and increase firms’ export competitiveness.

The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), will be the nodal agency for BHAVYA, building on its ongoing work to develop 20 greenfield industrial‑smart‑city projects across 13 states. NICDC’s experience with pre‑developed plots, pre‑engineered utilities and risk‑shared financing models underpins the “plug‑and‑play” philosophy that BHAVYA now seeks to scale nationally.

The launch of BHAVYA represents a strategic shift from purely project‑wise incentives to a system‑wide industrial‑ecosystem upgrade. By de‑risking location decisions, cutting time‑to‑market and embedding sustainability and multimodal connectivity at the design stage, the scheme is intended to reinforce India’s move toward Atmanirbhar Bharat, stronger exports and a more resilient, inclusive and globally competitive manufacturing base.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar