Why in the News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 7,855-acre Bidkin Industrial Area (BIA) in Maharashtra. It has been developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) as part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. It is situated 20 km south of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and holds immense potential to catalyze economic growth in the Marathwada region.

About NICDP

• It is India's most ambitious infrastructure programme.
• Aim: To develop futuristic industrial cities in India which can compete with the best manufacturing and investment destinations in the world.
• The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is regarded as the transportation backbone for the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project.
• The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor serves as the backbone for the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) project.