But buried inside NITI Aayog’s new data centre framework is a quiet revolution for how states will approve tech investments; and how jobs might follow. Forget just counting crores. The framework asks states to check if power grids can handle it, if water supply is sustainable, and if local economies actually benefit; not just corporate balance sheets. This means a company pitching ₹500 crore might get rejected if the local grid can’t support it. Or a project that promises 5,000 jobs might be held up if it guzzles water in a drought-prone area. What’s smart? No new rules; just a common scorecard. States can adapt it. But now, they can’t approve anything without proving infrastructure is ready. No more “we’ll build it later” promises. The real impact? More reliable tech hubs, better-planned cities, and; for job seekers; fewer ghost projects that hire nowhere. The biggest change? Accountability. Projects now live or die by what they deliver; not what they promise.