Akhilesh Yadav to beckon UP NRIs for investment

UP to participate in 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' on Jan 9

After setting up a specialised non-resident Indian (NRI) department about three months back, Uttar Pradesh is now gearing up to woo NRIs from the state to invest here.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav would pilot state officials in rolling out the red carpet to the NRI community at the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’, being organised by the Union Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, on January 9, 2015, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

In July the government had announced setting up of a department to solve the problems of the NRIs and make efforts to attract investment in Uttar Pradesh. Previously, an NRI cell had been functioning in Udyog Bandhu, the state’s industry interface, to redress grievances of state NRIs and persons of Indian origin (PIO), and apprise them of investment opportunities in the state.

Uttar Pradesh would participate as a partner state in the event, which is organised every year to mark the contribution of the overseas indian community in the country’s development. It was on January 9, 1915, that Mahatma Gandhi had returned to India from South Africa and led India’s freedom struggle against the British.

On Tuesday, state’s Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan reviewed preparations for the participation in the event. He said the state government was sensitive towards the problems of the NRIs and was addressing them, besides providing special facilities to NRI investors.

All concerned departments — industrial development, IT, food processing, manufacturing, energy, dairy development etc — have been asked to get their brochures and publicity material updated with latest information about policies and government orders. A list of upcoming projects is also being prepared to provide additional information to prospective investors.

Ranjan noted that people from Uttar Pradesh have earned remarkable success in different fields across the world and they would be invited to work and invest in their motherland.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, NRI department and Infrastructure & Industrial Development Sanjiv Saran; Principal Secretary Information and Technology  Jeevesh Nandan; Principal Secretary Information Navneet Sehgal; Managing Director Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) Manoj Singh among others.