Question map
Recently, India's first 'National Investment and Manufacturing Zone' was proposed to be set up in
Explanation
Andhra Pradesh is set to house India's first national investment and manufacturing zone in Prakasham district.[3] This aligns with the broader NIMZ policy framework where three NIMZs have been accorded final approval - first at Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh), second at Sangareddy (Telangana) and third at Kalinganagar (Odisha).[4]
While Gujarat did have investment regions declared as NIMZs, particularly along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project including the Ahmedabad-Dholera Investment Region[5], the distinction is that Andhra Pradesh's Prakasham district was specifically designated as India's **first** NIMZ to receive final approval. The other states mentioned in the options came later in the sequence of NIMZ approvals or were part of different investment corridor initiatives. Therefore, option A (Andhra Pradesh) is the correct answer.
Sources- [1] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzI1NDIEEQQVV/Recently-India-rsquo-s-first-lsquo-National-Investment-and-Manufacturing-Zone-rsquo-was-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
- [2] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzI1NDIEEQQVV/Recently-India-rsquo-s-first-lsquo-National-Investment-and-Manufacturing-Zone-rsquo-was-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
- [3] https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/4/NzI1NDIEEQQVV/Recently-India-rsquo-s-first-lsquo-National-Investment-and-Manufacturing-Zone-rsquo-was-for-UPSC-Civil-Services-Examination-General-Studies-
- [4] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND MANUFACTURING ZONE (NIMZ) > p. 395
- [5] https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=137814
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'First in India' current affairs question bridging Economy and Geography. When a major policy tool (like NIMZ, SEZ, or PM MITRA) is operationalized, the 'first approved site' is non-negotiable trivia. It tests if you follow specific government notifications or just general 'Make in India' fluff.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was Andhra Pradesh the proposed site of India's first "National Investment and Manufacturing Zone" announced in 2016?
- Statement 2: Was Gujarat the proposed site of India's first "National Investment and Manufacturing Zone" announced in 2016?
- Statement 3: Was Maharashtra the proposed site of India's first "National Investment and Manufacturing Zone" announced in 2016?
- Statement 4: Was Uttar Pradesh the proposed site of India's first "National Investment and Manufacturing Zone" announced in 2016?
- Explicitly states that three NIMZs have been accorded final approval and names the first at Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh).
- Provides decisive placement of the 'first' NIMZ in Andhra Pradesh, directly addressing the location claim.
- Explicitly names the location proposed as India’s first NIMZ.
- Directly contradicts the claim that Gujarat was the proposed site of the first NIMZ.
- Lists Ahmedabad-Dholera (Gujarat) among eight NIMZs announced along the DMIC.
- Shows Gujarat was a designated NIMZ but not identified as the first NIMZ.
Lists the NIMZs that have been accorded final approval and names the first three (Prakasam — Andhra Pradesh; Sangareddy — Telangana; Kalinganagar — Odisha).
A student could use this list to suspect Gujarat was not the first approved NIMZ and verify by comparing Gujarat locations to this approved-list.
Explains that industrial corridors (like DMIC) are focal points for manufacturing-led development and planned urbanization tied to initiatives such as NIMZs.
Use a map of industrial corridors and Gujarat's geography to judge whether Gujarat was a likely early candidate for a NIMZ announced in 2016.
Notes the coexistence of multiple economic zone models (SEZ, CEZ, DMIC, NIMZ), indicating that NIMZs are one among several designated zone types and may be regionally specific.
Compare lists of announced/approved zones across these models to determine if Gujarat received its designation under NIMZ or another zone type.
Mentions the 'Make in India' initiative (2014) and its broad push for manufacturing, which contextualizes the 2016 creation/announcement of manufacturing zones like NIMZs.
Place the 2016 NIMZ announcements in the timeline of 'Make in India' policies and then look up which states were prioritized early (e.g., compare Gujarat versus the named first approvals).
- Directly states which state was set to house India's first NIMZ.
- Names Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh) as the location of the country's first NIMZ, contradicting Maharashtra as 'first'.
- Lists multiple NIMZs including Maharashtra locations (Shendra-Bidkin, Dighi, Nagpur).
- Also lists Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh) among NIMZs given in-principle approval, supporting that the 'first' was not uniquely Maharashtra.
Lists the NIMZs that have been accorded final approval (Prakasam–Andhra Pradesh; Sangareddy–Telangana; Kalinganagar–Odisha) and mentions eight DMIC regions declared as NIMZs.
A student could compare these named first approvals with a timeline of 2016 announcements or a map of states to judge whether Maharashtra appears among the initial NIMZ sites.
Notes an electronics cluster in northern Maharashtra could fall on the DMIC at the JNPT node, linking Maharashtra geographically to DMIC-related industrial planning.
Using a DMIC map and the list of DMIC-linked NIMZ declarations, a student could check if any DMIC node in Maharashtra was among the early NIMZ declarations.
Points out existence of multiple economic-zone models including NIMZ and DMIC, implying overlap/coordination between national industrial-corridor planning and NIMZ designations.
A student could use this to justify checking DMIC investment-region lists (which states they fall in) to see whether Maharashtra hosted a first NIMZ via DMIC linkage.
Identifies major manufacturing hubs (Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi) as emergent centres for manufacturing promotion.
A student might use known manufacturing hubs and their states to assess the plausibility that Maharashtra (Pune) was chosen as the very first NIMZ, and then verify against the approved-site list.
- Explicitly states which state was set to house India's first NIMZ.
- Directly contradicts the claim that Uttar Pradesh was the site of the first NIMZ.
- Lists Dadri-Noida-Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) as one of the NIMZs announced.
- Also distinguishes other NIMZs (including Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh) rather than identifying UP as the 'first'.
Lists the NIMZs accorded final approval (Prakasam, Sangareddy, Kalinganagar) and notes eight DMIC investment regions declared as NIMZs — giving specific first-approved locations.
A student could compare these named first-approved sites to Uttar Pradesh on a map or timeline to see whether UP appears among the initial NIMZs.
Mentions other manufacturing initiatives (Defence Industrial Corridors) with one corridor located in Uttar Pradesh — showing UP was targeted by other manufacturing projects, not necessarily by NIMZs.
Use this to hypothesize that UP's manufacturing focus may have been through corridors rather than the NIMZ designation and then check official NIMZ lists for UP.
Describes industrial corridors and their role in Make in India, including planned manufacturing hubs and smart cities — context for how manufacturing zones were being allocated geographically.
A student could map corridor locations versus approved NIMZs to infer whether UP was more likely part of corridor planning than the first NIMZs.
Lists states that have attracted maximum investment and separately lists Uttar Pradesh among states 'lagging behind', suggesting historical investment patterns away from UP.
Combine this with the list of first NIMZ locations to assess plausibility that the earliest NIMZs were placed in higher-investment states rather than UP.
Explains the Make in India campaign (launched 2014) and its institutional push for manufacturing initiatives, of which NIMZs are a type of policy measure.
Use the campaign timeline to check whether NIMZ announcements (e.g., 2016) align with other named projects and which states were prioritized first.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter for newspaper readers; Trap for 'Logic Guessers'. Source: PIB/The Hindu (2015-16) covering the first final approval under National Manufacturing Policy.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: National Manufacturing Policy (2011) operationalization and the 'Make in India' push. The shift from SEZs (Export focus) to NIMZs (Domestic production focus).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'First 3' approved NIMZs: Prakasam (Andhra), Sangareddy (Telangana), Kalinganagar (Odisha). Contrast with DMIC nodes (Dholera, Shendra-Bidkin). Current equivalent: Locations of 7 PM MITRA Parks (Textiles) and 3 Bulk Drug Parks.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not guess based on 'Industrial Reputation'. Gujarat and Maharashtra are obvious distractors because they are already developed. Central schemes often target 'Next-Wave' industrial states (AP, Telangana, Odisha) to fix regional imbalances.
Reference [1] lists approved NIMZs and identifies Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh) as the first approved site, directly tied to the statement's claim about Andhra Pradesh.
High-yield for UPSC: questions may ask about flagship manufacturing/industrial zone initiatives and their locations. Mastering which states host key projects helps answer policy, federalism, and regional development questions. Prepare by memorising approved projects and locations and linking them to central schemes.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND MANUFACTURING ZONE (NIMZ) > p. 395
Reference [1] summarises NIMZ features — state land provision, minimum manufacturing area, SPV governance, and central financial support — clarifying how centre and states share responsibilities.
Important for questions on centre-state roles in infrastructure and investment projects; helps analyse implementation challenges and policy design. Study scheme features, financing norms, and institutional arrangements to tackle governance and economy questions.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND MANUFACTURING ZONE (NIMZ) > p. 395
Reference [2] outlines SEZ policy background while references [6] and [10] discuss manufacturing initiatives, situating NIMZs within India's broader push for manufacturing growth.
Useful to compare policy instruments (SEZ vs NIMZ) and answer questions on industrial policy, export promotion, and 'Make in India'. Practice comparative analysis of schemes and cross-link with industrial corridors and investment models.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 11: Industries > Special Economic Zones of India > p. 85
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 7: Indian Economy after 2014 > Make in India > p. 230
The statement concerns the site of the first NIMZ; the references list features of NIMZs and the locations that received final approval.
Understanding NIMZ design and the early approved locations is high-yield for UPSC questions on industrial policy and flagship manufacturing initiatives. It helps answer location-specific and policy-comparison questions; revise official features, approval process, and example sites (e.g., Prakasam, Sangareddy, Kalinganagar).
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND MANUFACTURING ZONE (NIMZ) > p. 395
The references explicitly enumerate multiple economic-zone models alongside NIMZs, showing the policy context in which NIMZs exist.
Differentiating zone types is commonly tested in GS papers and essays on investment policy. Master the characteristics, incentives, and limitations of SEZs, NIMZs, DMIC-linked regions and CEZs to compare policy effectiveness and regional outcomes.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 14: Infrastructure and Investment Models > Challenges: > p. 418
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND MANUFACTURING ZONE (NIMZ) > p. 395
The statement links to where manufacturing zones are proposed; references connect industrial corridors, DMIC and the Make in India campaign to site selection and manufacturing promotion.
Questions often require linking flagship campaigns to infrastructure projects. Learn objectives of 'Make in India', role of industrial corridors/DMIC in planned industrialization, and how they influence zone siting and investment—use examples and policy outcomes for answers.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 14: Infrastructure and Investment Models > Background: > p. 417
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 7: Indian Economy after 2014 > Make in India > p. 230
Reference [1] lists NIMZ features (land, usage, SPV, central support) and names the NIMZs accorded final approval, directly relevant to any claim about which state hosted the 'first' NIMZ.
Understanding the design, approval process and actual approved sites of flagship industrial schemes is high-yield for UPSC (Polity–Economy linkage). Questions often ask differences between schemes, implementation responsibilities, and which states/locations were chosen. Learn official features and memorize key approved sites from primary sources and standard textbooks.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND MANUFACTURING ZONE (NIMZ) > p. 395
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 14: Infrastructure and Investment Models > Challenges: > p. 418
The Governance Trap: Unlike SEZs which are often private-led, a NIMZ is managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) where the State Government plays the lead role in land acquisition, but the Centre provides VGF (Viability Gap Funding). Expect a statement swapping these roles.
The 'Regional Balance' Heuristic: If a scheme is about 'creating' new industrial zones (not upgrading existing ones), the Centre rarely picks the most developed state (Gujarat/Maharashtra) for the *very first* pilot, as they don't need the jumpstart. Look for the 'aspiring' industrial state (Andhra/Telangana).
Mains GS-3 (Industrial Policy) & GS-2 (Federalism): Use the NIMZ example to discuss 'Cooperative Federalism'. Why did NIMZs struggle compared to SEZs? Because land acquisition (State subject) became a bottleneck, showing how Centre's policy intent relies entirely on State execution.