Nod for DMIC projects

Days ahead of Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe8217;s visit to India, the UPA Cabinet has cleared a slew of proposals linked to the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor DMIC project. The DMIC is a flagship project of the Special Economic Partnership Initiative between India and Japan as envisioned in the joint statement issued by the two countries during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8217;s visit to Japan in December 2006. The industrial corridor between Mumbai and Delhi is just the starting point for several ambitious projects India and Japan hope to work together on. These include Dedicated Multi-modal High Axle Load Freight Corridors with computerised control on the Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi-Howrah routes. The Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA is expected to submit its final report on the freight corridor projects by October and the construction is expected to begin by 2008-9. The Cabinet8217;s clearance on Thursday came for specific steps to operationalise the DMIC project. A DMIC Development Corporation will be formed, whose organisation structure has been cleared and includes the setting up of an apex authority to be chaired by the Union Finance Minister.