UP govt eyes Rs 5K cr investments for defence manufacturing corridor

To bolster the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), the government may invest Rs 5,000 crore in multiple military-ware projects in Chitrakoot. The union environment ministry has permitted the development of 60 hectares of land meant for UPDIC in Chitrakoot.

According to the Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), the environment ministry’s approval will lead to projects worth Rs 5,000 crore and which may create 100,000 job opportunities in Chitrakoot.

A third of Chitrakoot would be reserved for greenbelt. Developers will make modern provisions for energy conservation, waste management, firefighting, noise, water and air pollution. The industrial corridor spans six nodes: Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Chitrakoot and Agra districts.

“This corridor is key to propelling the ‘Make in UP’ mission of the Yogi Adityanath government, and contributing to India’s military self-reliance and exports,” said a government official. The corridor would encompass the production of drones, helicopters, arms and ammunition.

So far, the state government has cleared defence manufacturing projects worth Rs 25,000 crore, and signed 140 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with public and private companies.

The MoUs were signed with Adani Defence and Aerospace, BrahMos Aerospace, Ancor Research Labs, Tata Technologies, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Delta Combat Systems, SpiceJet Technic, Verivision, HAL, Gliders India, Defence Research & Development Organisation, Aerolloy Technologies etc.

While almost 5,000 hectare is proposed to be acquired by the expressway authority for UPDIC, about 1,700 hectare has been acquired and allotted to investors.

Nearly 1,000 hectare has been given to investors in Jhansi to be developed as a hub for the production and testing of arms and ammunition. Bharat Dynamics is the lead investor in Jhansi.