BS reported that phase one of an engineering cluster set up by Nashik Industrial Co operative Estate under the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme has commenced.

As per the report, this project will be fully operational within a year, for which NICE has formed a Special Purpose Vehicle titled as ‘Nashik Engineering Cluster'.

In the first phase, the CAD/CAM/CAE training centre activities have commenced at NICE premises with an aim to pass on benefits of the scheme immediately to the industries.

The phase II will provide Rapid Prototyping, CNC Machining Centre, Specialized Heat Treatment, Inspection/Testing facility, Calibration Centre and other common facilities.

Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has allotted 4 acre plot in its Ambad areas. The building for engineering cluster project will be completed within a year. The total project cost for is around INR 67 crore of which INR 50 crore will be contributed by the central government while NICE and Nashik Municipal Corporation will contribute INR 9.26 crore and INR 8 crore respectively.

Around 1,650 engineering and electrical industries have scattered in and around Nashik. Considering the strong base of engineering & electrical industries and with an aim to make local SMEs globally competitive, Nashik Industrial Co operative Estate took initiative to form engineering cluster at Nashik. The industries from Nashik district, Jalgaon, Dhule and Ahmednagar will also avail the facilities of engineering cluster.