Yogi pegs UP as top investment destination

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / Mar 21, 2021

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has pegged the state as one of the foremost investment destinations in India today.

Addressing the media on completing 4 years as the CM of the country’s most populous state here on Friday, Yogi said Samsung Display unit and North India’s first data centre were coming up in UP, while global furniture retailer Ikea was also making big investments.

“In the last four years, the state has received total investments of about Rs 3 trillion, which created 3.5 million direct job opportunities,” he said adding his government had rolled out 21 sectoral policies to spur investments and industrialisation.

The CM noted his government worked on the theme of ‘Reform, Perform, Transform’ to retrieve UP from the stigma of a BIMARU (economically backward) state to saddle it among the top performers.

“Now, UP is ranked among the leading states in key socioeconomic and agricultural parameters. The positive perception and a marked improvement in the law and order situation in the state has helped in attracting investments,” he added.

Yogi said UP is currently ranked 2nd in the Ease of Doing Business parameter, while the state is now the 2nd largest economy in India.

He claimed his government had anchored loans worth over Rs 2 trillion to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) benefitting 5 million units, and creating jobs and self employment opportunities totalling 18 million.

Referring to Covid-19 pandemic, the CM observed coronavirus management by his government had been acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“Now, two AIIMS are operational in Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli and new medical colleges are being set up,” he said while referring to the slew of mega infra and tourism projects in the pipeline to foster growth.

“We are setting up three new international airports in Jewar (Noida), Kushinagar and Ayodhya, while 17 other airports are being developed in other places to boost tourism,” he said.

Yogi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office bearers for supporting his government over the past four years.