Rs480 crore industrial infra projects in Gujarat approved

The state government has approved a host of industrial infrastructure projects, including roads, water supply, bridges, setting up of centres of excellence, among others, highly placed sources said.

"Sixteen projects, involving expenditure of Rs480.72 crore, were sanctioned under the scheme of improving industrial infrastructure. The state government's assistance of Rs184.27 crore for the projects was also approved," state industries minister and chairman of implementation committee, Saurabh Patel, said.

Under the scheme, infrastructure would be upgraded in seven industrial estates of GIDC, including Dahej, Anjar, Mehsana - 2 and Pandesara (in Surat), among others. Three road and railway over bridges were also sanctioned.

The committee also approved extension of the four-lane road to GIDC Sanand at a cost of Rs30.44 crore. The government would contribute Rs18.26 crore for the project. According to officials, six centres of excellence, which would be eligible for getting assistance up to 70% of the project cost - with a maximum limit of Rs10 crore - were also approved by the committee, which met on Tuesday.

The approved centres include Centre of Excellence of Infrastructure at CEPT University and Centre of Excellence in composite in textile at ATIRA. The committee also approved Centre of Excellence of Nano-technology at CII and Gujarat Knowledge Application Facilitation Centre at CII.

The other approved centres include that of Bio-medical Engineering at IIT, Gandhinagar, that of Entrepreneurship & technology at increate, Ahmedabad.