Akhilesh Yadav urges industry to invest big time in 'largest market' UP

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said his state was an area where not only the gods were born, but also a region without whose votes no prime minister of India could be elected.

Addressing an investors meet here, Yadav said, "UP is not only the state where the Gods were born, but also a state without which a PM can't be elected."

He described the state of Uttar Pradesh as not only being the largest in the country, but also, having the largest market for both goods and services.

"I want to congratulate my team, when we say "Rising UP" we remember that not only is it the largest state, but also the largest market," Yadav said.

"Our aim is to create as many smart cities as possible in the state, and to ensure that investments are made on a large scale," he added.

Yadav was addressing the "UP Conclave" in Mumbai two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met captains of industry and suggested that they consider investing in domestic industry with greater frequency and regularity.

The "UP Conclave" is expected to attract investment worth up to Rs 50,000 crores.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has already identified 45 projects entailing an investment of Rs 33,000 crore.

"The state government will be signing memorandum of understanding for these projects at the investor meet. We hope to get investment intentions between Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 50,000 crores at the meet," Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary (Information) told media here earlier.

Apart from the chief minister, his cabinet ministers and top officials will meet industrialists to finalise and sign the agreements.

There will be an open house one-to-one meetings between UP government officials and potential investors on Thursday.

"The purpose is to showcase the state as an investment destination with its improved infrastructure. We will be offering uninterrupted power to industrial units. Main sectors being indentified are manufacturing, solar power, IT, electronics, road projects and biomass," Sehgal said.

According to Sehgal, the state government is developing another IT park in Lucknow. "HCL is already investing. Three or four promoters are setting up 500 MW solar power projects in the state. Adani is setting up a 250 MW solar project. Four more metro projects are coming up in Varanasi, Meerut, Agra and Kanpur," the Indian Express quoted Sehgal, as saying.