PM launches ₹80K-cr projects at UP summit

Speaking at the third edition of the UP investors’ summit, PM Modi identified the state as a key to powering India’s growth in the 21st century.

The government will undertake any reform, in any sector, necessary for the development of Uttar Pradesh and to make India “Aatmanirbhar” (self-reliant), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, identifying the state as key to powering India’s growth in the 21st century.

(ANI)

Modi was speaking at the third edition of UP investors’ summit, where some of the country’s leading industrialists were present and committed to initiating projects and setting up businesses.

“We are for development with our policies, our decisions, our intentions and our attitude. We (the Union and the state governments) will support you in these efforts… It’s a win-win situation since building UP’s future will also brighten yours,” the PM said in his appeal to business leaders to invest in the state.

The state received at least 1,400 proposals for investments with a value of ₹80,000 crore and an employment potential of 500,000 direct and two million indirect jobs in the state, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said.

Among the attendees were top industrialists, including Gautam Adani and Kumar Mangalam Birla, as well as defence minister Rajnath Singh.

The project commitments, most of which were as MoUs (memorandum of understanding) spanned diverse sectors, including agriculture, IT and electronics, manufacturing, renewable energy, pharma, tourism, defence and aerospace, handloom and textiles.

The Prime Minister said the country was poised to play a larger role in the word and it is “only our democratic India” that can prove to be the reliable partner the world is looking for today. “We are growing the fastest among the G-20 economies. Today, India is No. 2 on the Global Retail Index. India is the third-largest energy consumer country in the world,” Modi said.

The PM also spoke of the steps his administration has taken, highlighting particular initiatives that have been upheld by the government as its some of its marquee achievements on the occasion of the party completing eight years in power last month.

“Through our reforms, we have worked to make India strong as a nation,” Modi said, mentioning schemes like One Nation-One Tax and One Nation-One Ration Card. “These efforts are a reflection of our concrete and clear policies,” Modi said.

In this year’s Budget, he said, an unprecedented capital expenditure allocation of ₹7.50 lakh crore was made. Modi said the emphasis being laid today on defence manufacturing was never given earlier.

“Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, we have decided with immense courage, and identified 300 defence items which will not be imported. In other words, those who want to come in the field of defence manufacturing, for them, there is an assured market of these 300 products,” he said.

In UP’s context, the PM said the state now has better law and order, which has restored the business community’s confidence, and an improved administrative machinery.

He specifically urged the people gathered to visit his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi. “The fact that Kashi, along with its ancient glory, can also emerge with a new version of itself, is a living example of the capabilities of Uttar Pradesh.”

“There is nothing new in holding groundbreaking ceremony. They have been holding such ceremonies in the past and will continue to do so in future as well. But this will not solve problems of the people or lead the state to development,” said Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary.