Hisar industry welcomes proposed integrated manufacturing cluster

The proposal to develop an integrated manufacturing cluster (IMC) in Hisar over 2,988 acres near the Maharaja Agrasen International Airport has been welcomed by the captains of the industries and economic experts here who are enthusiastic over its potential and growth.

They stated that the industrial landscape of Haryana would receive a significant boost with the announcement of the project in Hisar.

The project will be developed by the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) in collaboration with the Haryana Government. The IMC is projected to attract investments worth Rs 32.417 crore and generate 1.25 lakh jobs, positioning Hisar as a future hub of manufacturing and economic growth.

The project is part of the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC), one of the flagship initiatives aimed at creating world-class industrial infrastructure across India. A state support agreement (SSA) and a shareholder agreement (SHA) for the project were recently signed between NICDC, the Haryana Government and the Haryana Airports Development Corporation (HADC), for the proposed big ticket cluster.

Government officials said the IMC in Hisar would be strategically located between the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors and benefit from seamless connectivity through NH-52, NH-09, rail links, and proximity to major logistics hubs. With a project cost of Rs 4,680 crore, the cluster is expected to significantly boost the “Make in India” initiative and support India’s drive towards self-reliance in manufacturing.

The announcement has been met with optimism by industrialists and entrepreneurs in Hisar, though many are also urging the government to carefully align the cluster with the region’s strengths and hope that the government will come up with realistic planning.

Devender Jain, president of the Hisar Industries Association said while the announcement was a welcome step, the industrialists were awaiting clarity on the finer details of the proposed project. “We have received a call from the MSME Department to submit proposals for the industries to be set up at the IMC. The department has suggested a footwear and textile industry cluster, but both these sectors are not feasible for Hisar. A footwear park has already been established in Bahadurgarh, and the textile sector does not have a noticeable presence in the region,” he pointed out.

Jain emphasised that Hisar already has a strong industrial base in steel. “The city is home to numerous stainless-steel units in the MSME sector, besides large industries such as Jindal Steel. Alongside steel, there is good potential for pharmaceutical and food processing industries. With strong connectivity and availability of raw material for food processing, the IMC can provide fertile ground for these sectors,” he added.

However, Jain also flagged challenges that could affect the industrialists’ enthusiasm. “Land prices in Hisar are prohibitively high, with no land available for less than Rs 50,000 per square yard. If the government provides industrial plots at a reasonable rate—around Rs 10,000 per square yard—it will attract more investment. Otherwise, the high cost of land will discourage entrepreneurs from setting up new units,” he cautioned.

He further said Hisar’s MSME sector already had a quarterly turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore, with about 700 operational units employing nearly 10,000 workers. “This is apart from the large industries like Jindal Steel, which are not even counted within the MSME. The potential for growth is immense, but issues such as high electricity tariffs—currently averaging Rs 12 per unit, the highest among neighbouring states such as Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan—must be addressed if the cluster is to succeed,” Jain said.

Economists too believe the project can be a game-changer for the region. Prof NK Bishnoi, Dean and head of the department of economics at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, described the IMC proposal as “a really good and potential-laden initiative.”

“With NICDC leading the project, Hisar can look forward to industrial development of a scale not seen before in the region. The location near the airport, the freight corridors, and the existing industrial ecosystem make it a promising venture,” Bishnoi said. He emphasised that if implemented with industry-specific planning and realistic incentives, the IMC could not only transform Hisar’s economy but also contribute significantly to Haryana’s overall industrial growth.