Ashok Leyland's electric bus plant inaugurated in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

Hinduja Group's flagship company Ashok Leyland has commissioned its integrated electric bus manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

The greenfield unit was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Heavy Industries minister D H Kumaraswamy on Friday (January 9).

On the occasion, Adityanath said the plant is a key milestone in the state's industrial development journey and commitment towards environment conservation.

"Today, Uttar Pradesh is not merely a state of 'unlimited potential' but a state converting potential into actual achievements," he said, adding that UP now tops the 'Industry First' and 'Investor First' matrices.

The CM noted that UP does not suffer from the erstwhile policy paralysis of the previous governments, but contributes to India's industrial growth story.

"UP accounts for 9.5 percent to India's GDP and the state's economy is expected to touch Rs 36 trillion by the end of the current financial year," he claimed.

Adityanath alleged while investors were fleeing the state during the earlier regimes, UP had logged investment proposals to the tune of Rs 45 trillion of which projects worth Rs 15 trillion had been launched in the groundbreaking ceremonies.

"Now, we are ready to launch projects worth Rs 6 trillion next month, while another basket of projects totalling Rs 5 trillion are in the pipeline," he added.

He maintained that UP had become a preferred destination for domestic and global investors, and the Ashok Leyland plant would further catalyse its investment ecosystem.

Ashok Leyland has committed to invest Rs 1,000 crore in the Lucknow plant, which has an initial capacity to produce 2,500 vehicles per annum. It would be ramped up to 5,000 vehicles per year in the next phase depending upon the market demand.

On September 15, 2023, an memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Ashok Leyland and the Uttar Pradesh government for the setting up of the Lucknow plant.

Therefore, the new plant has been commissioned in less than 16 months since the signing of the MoU.

The company has already announced plans to convert its entire fleet of diesel buses and commercial vehicles into electric and other alternative fuels in the coming years.

Interestingly, UP is among India's leading electric vehicles (EVs) market even as the UP State Roadways Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is keen to convert its fleet of nearly 12,000 buses to EVs in the coming years.

In his address, Rajnath Singh observed that the Ashok Leyland plant would bolster UP's economic and industrial development roadmap and provide mass employment opportunities.

UP is also emerging as a major defence industry hub with the UP Defence Corridor spread over 6 nodes including Lucknow, he added.

He said UP, which was once considered to be a BIMARU state, has emerged as a preferred investment destination owing to the proactive policies of the Yogi government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.

"The path to a developed India passes through a developed Uttar Pradesh," Rajnath Singh underlined.

Canadian entrepreneurs to invest in Uttar Pradesh

A 24-member delegation of the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce (CHCC) today met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.

Led by the organisation’s Founder President, Naresh Kumar Chawda, the delegation expressed keen interest in investing in Uttar Pradesh in the MSME, religious tourism and hospitality sectors.

Yogi assured of all possible support from the state government even as he invited them to visit the religious sites in Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj.

He emphasised the need to promote new initiatives in trade, technology and tourism in line with the Prime Minister’s vision.

He said that 8–9 years ago, markets during festivals were flooded with Chinese products, but in 2018 the state promoted traditional enterprises through the One District–One Product initiative.

These products were provided with design support, technology and platforms, and are showcased at the UP International Trade Show held in September 2025.

The CM claimed Chinese products have now disappeared from the UP markets.

The UP government is supporting all 9.6 million MSME units in the state and ensuring social security for them, benefiting the livelihoods of around 25 million families.

Through One District–One Product (ODOP), these products have been branded and are now being presented as official gifts on major platforms.

Yogi informed the delegation that India is now the world’s fourth-largest economy and also the fastest-growing major economy.

UP ranks among the top three states in terms of economic contribution and is home to the country’s largest population.

He acquainted the delegation with UP’s rapid progress, stating that the state offers immense opportunities with improved security, law and order, and a strong investment environment.

At the Global Investors Summit 2023, investment proposals worth Rs 40 trillion were received, of which projects worth Rs 15 trillion have already witnessed ground-breaking ceremonies.

Further, proposals worth Rs 5 trillion are being prepared for the next round of implementation.

He added that members of the Chambers can play a significant role in bringing investment, technology and FDI to UP. Separate policies have been framed for FDI and Fortune 500 companies.

The CM said Uttar Pradesh also represents India’s rich heritage. The world’s largest cultural and spiritual gathering, the Maha Kumbh, was organised in the state last year, witnessing participation of over 660 million devotees. He also highlighted the state’s abundant water resources and fertile land.

He said that special focus has been given to infrastructure development in recent years.

Uttar Pradesh accounts for 55 per cent of the country’s expressway network, with significantly improved connectivity, including greenfield expressways.

The state has the largest rail network, metro services in the highest number of cities, a rapid rail system, and the country’s first operational waterway.

Yogi noted that UP currently has 11 domestic and four international airports in operation, with Asia’s largest airport at Jewar set to become operational soon.

He said UP is a land of opportunities, with projects such as a film city and apparel park in Noida, logistics hubs, and the state emerging as a new data centre hub. Four data centres are currently operational, with six more in the pipeline.

He further said Uttar Pradesh has witnessed more than eight-and-a-half years of stable law and order. Mentioning the upcoming AI City in Lucknow, he highlighted the state’s potential in advanced technologies.

The CM said Canadian entrepreneurs and others could contribute to the export of agricultural produce grown by farmers in UP.

He said the most important sites associated with Buddha and Jain Tirthankars are also located in Uttar Pradesh, offering vast potential for tourism development.

The Chamber can play a major role in promoting these destinations globally and informing visitors about the best times to visit. He noted air and road connectivity to all major pilgrimage sites in UP is excellent.

Meanwhile, Chawda said while Invest India–Invest Canada is organised every year in Canada, in 2026 it will be held three times, with two events focused on Uttar Pradesh.

He informed the Chief Minister that his team will work in UP across MSMEs, religious tourism and hospitality sectors.

He said during July–August and December–January, children of the Indian diaspora born in Canada will be brought to Uttar Pradesh to visit major religious sites. In addition, the Chambers plan to establish a 50-bed hospital and senior citizen homes in the state.

UP to build sports colleges at divisional headquarters

Reaffirming his strong commitment to the promotion of sports and sportspersons, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today announced the government will build sports colleges at every divisional headquarters.

This will be in addition to developing playgrounds in every gram panchayat, mini stadiums at the block level, and large stadiums at the district level.

He was addressing the award distribution ceremony of the MLA Sports Competition 2025 for the Gorakhpur City Assembly constituency.

Speaking at the Veer Bahadur Singh Sports College, the CM said the government is strengthening the sports infrastructure.

An international stadium is coming up near Beliapar in Gorakhpur, while the regional stadium of Gorakhpur is undergoing renovation at a cost of Rs 63 crore.

A state-of-the-art stadium is also being developed at Veer Bahadur Singh Sports College.

In Meerut, the academic session has already commenced at the sports university named after hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, where world-class construction work is progressing rapidly.

Explaining the importance of sports, Yogi said when youth plays, the nation blossoms. He emphasised that success in life is possible only with a healthy body, which can be achieved through sports and yogic practices.

He said over the past 11 years, there has been a significant transformation in sports and sporting activities across the country.

The world now looks towards India in sports such as kabaddi, hockey, badminton, and athletics, the CM noted.

IIT Kanpur concludes phase-I placements for 2025-26

The Students’ Placement Office (SPO) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has successfully concluded Phase I of the campus placements for the 2025–26 graduating batch.

Continuing last year’s flexible approach, hiring was conducted in on-campus, virtual, and hybrid modes to maximize accessibility for recruiters and students.

This initial phase saw robust participation from over 250 organizations across diverse sectors, extending a total of 1,202 offers.

Students accepted 1,079 of these offers, which include Pre-Placement Offers. A notable highlight was 15 students securing international offers from companies based in Europe, Japan, Korea, and the United States.

The institute anticipates a further expansion of global opportunities in Phase II placements, which are scheduled to commence from mid-January 2026.

The phase featured leading domestic and international companies, including Accenture, Airbus, American Express, BlackRock, Boeing, Databricks, Deutsche Bank, ICICI Bank, Mastercard, Meesho, Navi, PwC, Qualcomm, Samsung, InMobi, and Square Point Capital, and many more.

Several Public Sector Undertakings, such as BPCL, BEL, MIDHANI, and EIL, also participated actively.

On the completion of Phase-I of the campus placements, Prof Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, said, “The successful conclusion of Phase-I placements reflects the academic rigor, adaptability, and industry-readiness of our students, as well as the institute’s strong and enduring engagement with leading organizations in India and abroad.

I commend the Students’ Placement Office for efficiently managing a flexible and inclusive placement process.

We remain committed to nurturing talent that is capable of contributing meaningfully to global and national growth, and we look forward to continued success in the upcoming phases.”

Prof Ashwani Kumar Thakur, Chairperson, SPO, IIT Kanpur, said, “We sincerely thank all participating recruiters for their continued support and confidence in the talent pool of IIT Kanpur.

Their partnership plays a vital role in shaping the careers of our students. As the placement season unfolds, the SPO remains dedicated to guiding students toward promising and enduring professional pathways.”

Prof Manjesh Kumar Singh, Vice-Chairperson, SPO, IIT Kanpur, added, “The advancements we see today are a result of the dedicated efforts of the entire SPO team and the constant support of our faculty.

Our recruiting partners continue to be instrumental in nurturing the ambitions of our students, and we are truly grateful for this sustained collaboration.”

Building on the success of Phase I, IIT Kanpur looks forward to an even more productive Phase II, which begins next month, to provide opportunities for the remaining students.

UP top gears defence projects of Rs 23,000 crore

To put Uttar Pradesh firmly on India's defence manufacturing map, the Yogi Adityanath government is speeding up defence and military-ware projects totalling Rs 23,000 crore.

These 110 projects pertain to different categories of defence hardware such as drones, arms, ammunition, missiles, propellant systems, parachutes, defence textiles etc.

The mega Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) spans six nodes viz. Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Agra and Chitrakoot.

The UPDIC is a critical part of the 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) themes to reduce the country's dependency on costly foreign defence imports.

So far, nodal agency UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority #UPEIDA has signed 197 memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with leading defence and aerospace companies for setting up production units in the UPDIC nodes.

The UP Defense Corridor will not only transform UP’s industrial landscape but also position India as a global defence manufacturing hub.

Major investors in the UPDIC include Adani Defence and Aerospace, BrahMos Aerospace, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Technologies, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) etc.

Lucknow-based BrahMos Aerospace is an Indo-Russia joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPOM to develop next generation supersonic missiles.

He said the UPDIC has been strategically aligned with major initiatives such as 'One District, One Product' (ODOP) and 'Make in UP'.

Interestingly, the Corridor is among the key projects of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who regularly monitors its progress to realise its full potential for industrial growth and job creation.

With the overarching objective of boosting India’s defence and aerospace self-reliance, about 62 UPDIC projects have so far been allotted 977 hectares of land.

These projects involve investments of almost Rs 12,000 crore. Together with additional 110 projects worth Rs 23,000 in the pipeline, the UPDIC has amassed investment proposals to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore with a job creation potential of over 52,000.

Meanwhile, UPEIDA has approved 2,100 hectares of land across the six nodes, while 1,600 hectares are currently available for allotment to industry.

Aligarh tops with the allotment of land to maximum 24 companies while Kanpur ranks first in total land allotment of 210 hectares allocated to five companies.

In Jhansi, 17 companies have been allotted 571 hectares; in Lucknow 16 companies have received 131 hectares of land. The allotment process will soon begin in Chitrakoot.

Yogi 2.0 tables Supplementary Budget of Rs 24k crore

The Yogi Adityanath government has tabled a Supplementary Budget of more than Rs 24,496 crore in the Uttar Pradesh assembly.

The Supplementary Budget was presented yesterday by UP finance minister Suresh Khanna in the state legislature for the current financial year 2025-26.

Since the UP Annual Budget 2025-26, which was tabled on February 20, 2025 amounted to Rs 8.08 trillion, the state's total Budget size for the current fiscal has now burgeoned to more than Rs 8.32 trillion.

In his address, Khanna said the Supplementary Budget would provide funds to all key sectors and departments including industrial development, energy, health, urban development, sugarcane etc.

The current Supplementary Budget comprises revenue and capital heads of Rs 18,369 crore and Rs 6,127 crore respectively.

It proposes Rs 4,874 crore and Rs 4,521 crore for industrial development and energy respectively.

Moreover, the state health sector and urban development have been allocated Rs 3,500 crore and Rs 1,758 crore respectively.

While technical education will receive a funding of almost Rs 640 crore, the women and child development head have been given Rs 535 crore.

Similarly, state green interface UP New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (NEDA) and medical education have been allocated Rs 500 crore and Rs 423 crore respectively in the Supplementary Budget.

The sugarcane and sugar sector have been given an additional budget of Rs 400 crore.

Meanwhile, the UP Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has been estimated at more than Rs 31 trillion.

Supplementary Budget is tabled to get legislative approval for additional or contingency expenses during the course of a financial year for ongoing as well as new projects.

In recent years, the Yogi government has been generously allocating funds for mega projects pertaining to infrastructure, agriculture, social sector, rural development, industry, tourism etc to propel its ambitious $1 trillion economy target.

The current winter session of the bicameral UP legislature, which has two houses viz. Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad, started on December 19 (Friday).

UP to fortify semiconductor ecosystem

Uttar Pradesh is fast evolving into a hub of cutting edge technologies and products including semiconductors.

Focusing on job creation in Uttar Pradesh, strengthening the semiconductor ecosystem is becoming a crucial part of the state's industrial policy.

The joint OSAT unit of HCL and Foxconn, to be established in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area, is being seen as a major achievement in this direction.

Consequently, with the expansion of the semiconductor ecosystem, the Yamuna Expressway region is rapidly emerging as a new employment hub for Uttar Pradesh.

This initiative will not only accelerate industrial development but will also provide new strength to the state's economy.

According to Roshni Malhotra, Chairperson of the HCL Group, the joint OSAT unit of HCL and Foxconn will give a new direction to job creation in UP.

The proposed project is expected to create more than 3,500 direct employment opportunities in the state. 

These jobs will include roles in engineering, technicians, production specialists, quality control and management.

This initiative is being seen as a strong foundation for high-tech employment in the state, giving young people the opportunity to connect directly with modern industry.

From an employment perspective, the impact of this project will not be limited to the factory premises.

Several ancillary industries related to packaging, logistics, raw material supply, equipment, maintenance, and service sectors will develop alongside the semiconductor unit.

This is expected to create thousands of indirect jobs. Local MSMEs will also receive opportunities for expansion and new business ventures, strengthening the regional economy.

Along with the semiconductor industry, the state government is placing special emphasis on skill development. Under the OSAT project, plans are underway to train young people in advanced technologies.

Special training programs will be launched in collaboration with industry and academic institutions to prepare the state's youth for future technological demands.

This will strengthen their employability in the long term and provide them with global opportunities.

This unit, which is being established near Jewar Airport in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority area, is also considered crucial for regional development.

Owing to robust connectivity and modern industrial infrastructure, this area is rapidly emerging as a high-tech employment hub.

The increasing flow of investment will not only create more jobs but will also enable UP to play a significant role in the semiconductor-based economy.