UP mulling policies on defence manufacturing, startups

State is also working on ensuring self-sufficiency in power by December 2017, says industrial secretary

In order to boost industrialisation and attract big-ticket private investments, the Uttar Pradesh government is drafting a new policy in defence manufacturing, a top state industrial department official said today.

Besides, the government is working on a policy to encourage startups for balanced industrial development in the state.

UP infrastructure and industrial development principal secretary, Mahesh Kumar Gupta, said both policies were already on the anvil and would soon be introduced.

“Infrastructure growth, an industry-enabling environment, financing of business and viability of projects are fundamental to industrial development,” he said addressing the ongoing three-day UP Pravasi Diwas at Agra.

Over the last three years, the state government had been focusing on all critical factors that catalyse industrial development, especially after ushering in the Industrial and Infrastructure Development Policy in 2012, he noted.

“Maximum attention is being directed to improving the ease of doing business in the state. For this, the single window for investment and business facilitation at Udyog Bandhu is being upgraded,” Gupta informed.

He further said the government was working on ensuring self-sufficiency in power by December 2017. “The government is not only developing virgin growth centres, but is taking key steps to revive traditional industrial clusters.”

Gupta said that while investors were keen to investing in cities like Lucknow, Noida and Greater Noida, there was now growing interest among investors to enter the eastern, central and Bundelkhand regions of UP after the Mumbai investment summit.

He said industry-focused skill development initiatives, a network of incubation labs and packaging/design support to MSMEs would contribute to balanced industrial development in the state.

UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had yesterday inaugurated the event aimed at networking with the UP diaspora settled globally and excelling in their fields of business, industry, trade, and research, among other areas.

Later, Yadav had feted select non-resident Indians (NRI) of UP origin with the UP Ratna award, while the state government also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with over a dozen private organisations and banks to cooperate in trade and social sector.