UP Global Investors Summit: Uttar Pradesh capable, ready to play role of India’s growth engine, says President Droupadi Murmu

According to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the UP Global Investors Summit attracted investment proposals worth ₹33.5 lakh crore

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is capable and ready to play the role of India’s growth engine, President Droupadi Murmu said on Sunday at the conclusion of the UP Global Investors Summit, which, according to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, attracted investment proposals worth ₹33.5 lakh crore.

President Droupadi Murmu being felicitated by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the closing ceremony of UP Global Investors Summit, in Lucknow on Sunday. (PTI)

Addressing the valedictory session of the three-day summit, the President said Uttar Pradesh ranked first in the country in many arenas — from total production of food grains to its contribution to India’s economy — and lauded the state’s efforts in becoming a preferred destination for investment.

“Uttar Pradesh, which is at the top population-wise, is also the first in the country in economic contributions. I appreciate farmers and entrepreneurs of the state for this. To play the role of India’s growth engine, Uttar Pradesh is ‘saksham’ (capable) and ‘taiyar’ (ready),” Murmu said. “Uttar Pradesh will contribute towards one fifth of India’s economy when the country becomes a $5-trillion (economy).”

In the run-up to the high-ticket summit, CM Adityanath had said the state aims to become a $1-trillion economy in next five years.

“Uttar Pradesh ranks first in India in total production of food grains, including wheat. It also ranks first in the country in the production of sugarcane and potato. In the production of mango and peas also, this state contributes the most,” the President said, pointing out that the state has lot of potential for agro-based enterprises.

Terming the UPGIS-2023 a “festival of development”, Murmu congratulated Adityanath and his team on the state attracting such large investment, adding efforts to boost the state’s economy will also strengthen the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) ambition. “The investment of ₹33.5 lakh crore will provide jobs to lakhs of people,” she added.

If Uttar Pradesh becomes more prosperous, India will also become more prosperous, she said. “Uttar Pradesh government has envisioned far-sighted policies and implemented those,” said Murmu. “Uttar Pradesh is capable and ready to play the role of growth engine of new India.”

Speaking at the valedictory session of the summit, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, Adityanath said the three-day event will help in making Uttar Pradesh a “trillion-dollar economy, the largest in the country.”

He said Uttar Pradesh benefitted from the respect that PM Modi has earned for India in the past nine years.

Declaring that the UPGIS-2023 attracted investment proposals of ₹33.5 lakh crore, Adityanath said his government will set up group of ministers (GoMs) and deploy senior officers for implementation of the memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed for investment in Uttar Pradesh.

“Groups of ministers, additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and state’s teams will work to implement the MoUs on the ground,” he said.

The investment proposals, once implemented, will “lead to creation of over 93 lakh (9.3 million) job opportunities,” he said.

The summit, Adityanath said, also dispelled an earlier notion that investment in Uttar Pradesh meant investment in parts of the state that fall under the National Capital Region. “This is for the first time that the investment proposals have been received for all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

The chief minister said investment proposals of ₹9.54 lakh crore and ₹4.27 lakh crore have been received for Eastern UP and Bundelkhand region, respectively, the two most backward regions of the state.

A district-wise break of investment proposals received during the summit indicates Gautam Buddha Nagar received investment proposals of ₹7.85 lakh crore (or 27.14% of total investment), followed by Agra with ₹2.18 lakh crore (7.54%), Lucknow ₹1.96 lakh crore (6.79%), Gorakhpur ₹1.71 lakh crore (5.93%), and Varanasi ₹1.37 lakh crore (4.75%). Other districts with investment proposals of more than ₹1 lakh crore include Jhansi ₹1.35 lakh crore (4.70%) and Ghaziabad ₹1.05 lakh crore (3.66%).

During the UPGIS-2023, around 30 brainstorming sessions were organised with an estimated participation of 25,000 delegates, including from 10 partner countries and 30 other countries, over the last three days.