‘UP has delivered in ease of biz, logistical & infra support’

Lucknow: Highlighting the investor-friendly atmosphere in the state, advisor to the Chief Minister, Awanish Awasthi said that the CM's emphasis on law and order, with zero tolerance for crime, has created an enabling environment for industrialists.He was addressing a govt-industry interaction event organised under the aegis of Invest UP, in collaboration with the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, on Monday. A delegation of the National Defence College, New Delhi, also attended the event to understand UP's growth story.Invest UP CEO Abhishek Prakash highlighted the journey of UP from the first Global Investor Summit in 2018 to the second GIS in 2022. "UP has the largest MSME sector. Nivesh Mitra is the largest portal developed by the state in which 41 departments are integrated. All incentives offered by different departments are given online. The state has delivered on ‘ease of doing business', with logistical and infrastructural support," he said.On rapid development of Defence Corridor in UP, Awasthi said: "The Lucknow Node is in the process of setting up the Brahmos missile unit, while Kanpur, Jhansi, and Aligarh are in advanced stages of development." UP State Women's Commission vice-president Aparna Yadav told members about the steps being taken to empower women and ensure their security with various initiatives. Joint president of the Adani Group, Ashok Wadhwan, spoke about the ammunition park being developed in Kanpur.CEO of Phoenix Malls, Sanjeev Sarin, said, "The state contributes 15-20% to the retail sector. Due to the penetration of technology, tier-2 and tier-3 cities have been targeted as engines of growth."Ashish Singh, MD of Malvika Steels, said that in a span of 5-6 years, he was able to increase production of high-quality cement in Rae Bareli manifold due to active support from govt.Dr Lokendra from Medanta Hospital highlighted the importance of medical tourism and its scope in UP, while Kirti Karamchandani, head of govt affairs and public policy at HCL Group, praised the Semi-Conductor Policy of UP.