Prayagraj

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said investment proposals worth over Rs 35,000 crore are taking shape on the ground in the state's six defence industrial corridors located in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh and Chitrakoot.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the three-day NorthTech Symposium held at New Cantt here, he said, "The state government has also created a large land bank. Through the defence and aerospace policy, incentives are being provided to investors willing to invest."

The chief minister said Aligarh has emerged as a hub for small arms, defence equipment and military supplies, while Kanpur -- traditionally known as the Manchester of the East -- is becoming a centre for ammunition, missiles, defence textiles and protective gear.

"Lucknow has been focused on BrahMos missiles and heavy defence manufacturing. Chitrakoot and Agra are being developed for precision engineering in aerospace and defence," he said.

Adityanath said manufacturing of artillery shells, drones, bulletproof jackets and advanced communication systems is being undertaken in the defence corridors to enhance the capabilities of armed forces.

"The required ecosystem for defence manufacturing corridors exists in Uttar Pradesh. The state has 56 per cent skilled manpower. There is also a strong base of MSMEs, with 96 lakh units already operational across sectors ranging from hardware to leather and textiles," he said.

The chief minister said the government is working with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to develop a Centre of Excellence for drones.

"Today, more than 21,000 start ups have been established in Uttar Pradesh across sectors, including AI, robotics, drones, semiconductors and data centres," he said.

Referring to governance reforms, Adityanath said when his government assumed office in 2017, ensuring good governance and establishing the rule of law was a priority.

"To bring the state out of its identity crisis, we had to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against crime and criminals strictly," he said.

He said this policy has created a robust ecosystem and that Uttar Pradesh now has one of the best infrastructures in the country in terms of expressways, highways, rail connectivity, metro networks and air connectivity.

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"Prioritising security has led to major investors showing interest in Uttar Pradesh. Improved law and order has helped us attract quality investments," he added.

The NorthTech Symposium was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 4. More than 250 companies from the defence sector showcased their products and technologies at the event, officials said.