Taking all measures to make UP safe, secure investment destination: Adityanath

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the government is taking all measures to ensure that the state becomes a safe and secure investment destination and urged the industry to invest in the state.

Addressing a FICCI webinar on "Rebuilding and Rebooting the Economy of Uttar Pradesh Post COVID 19", the chief minister said that a land bank of more than 20,000 acres has been created for promoting investment and infrastructure development in the state in the last three years, and the government is taking "all measures to ensure that UP becomes a safe, secure investment destination".

He said the 'Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan' launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would benefit over 1.25 crore migrant workers and labourers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

The chief minister added that the government has completed skill mapping of 31 lakh migrant labourers and workers who returned to the state since the beginning of the lockdown, and is working to provide them suitable employment opportunities.

He said a total of 35.92 lakh migrant labourers and workers had returned to the state till Thursday.

The chief minister also complimented businesses in the state for disbursing Rs 1,800 crore to migrant labourers and workers during the lockdown in the form of salaries and other ways.

The Supreme Court had earlier this month directed the Centre and state governments to send all migrant workers to their native places within 15 days and formulate employment schemes after conducting their skill mapping to rehabilitate them.

Highlighting the policies of the state government, Adityanath said labour reforms have been fast-tracked for employment generation.

Besides, several redundant policies are being reviewed and scrapped, which will make it easier for investors to seamlessly work in the state without any barriers, he said.

Given the pandemic situation, it has become essential to adopt technology for faster economic growth, the chief minister said.

He added that the government is working on improving connectivity in the state by way of airports and roads and is also focusing on regional connectivity.

Adityanath said the state government has been partnering with FICCI and has delivered many successful initiatives, such as the UP Investors' Summit and Defence Expo.

"Such endeavours proved that the collaboration between the government, industry and other stakeholders can enhance the investment opportunities manifold," he added.

Sidharth Nath Singh, minister in the state government, said that infrastructure is being developed at a fast pace in the state.

He added that even during the lockdown, the government organised several virtual roadshows with countries like the US, EU and Japan to promote investment in the state.

UP's Industrial Development Minister Satish Mahana said the state government is closely reviewing its policies and is looking at ways to amend them to enable industry to prosper in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the government looks forward to suggestions from industry that can be incorporated in its policies for economic development of the state.