"Uttar Pradesh Government Targets Rs 5,000 Crore Investments for Defense Manufacturing Corridor"

The Uttar Pradesh government is set to inject Rs 5,000 crore into various defense manufacturing projects in Chitrakoot, aiming to fortify the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC). This move comes following the Union Environment Ministry's green light for the development of 60 hectares of land designated for UPDIC in Chitrakoot.

Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) anticipates that the ministry's approval will pave the way for projects valued at Rs 5,000 crore, potentially generating 100,000 employment opportunities in Chitrakoot. With a commitment to environmental sustainability, a third of Chitrakoot will be reserved as a greenbelt, while developers are mandated to incorporate modern provisions for energy conservation, waste management, firefighting, noise, water, and air pollution.

Spanning across Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, and Agra districts, the industrial corridor aims to bolster the 'Make in UP' initiative of the Yogi Adityanath government while fostering India's military self-reliance and exports. The corridor's focus will encompass the production of drones, helicopters, arms, and ammunition.

So far, the state government has given the nod to defense manufacturing projects worth Rs 25,000 crore and has inked 140 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with both public and private entities. Notable signatories include Adani Defence and Aerospace, BrahMos Aerospace, Ancor Research Labs, Tata Technologies, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Delta Combat Systems, SpiceJet Technic, Verivision, HAL, Gliders India, Defence Research & Development Organisation, and Aerolloy Technologies.

While approximately 5,000 hectares are proposed to be acquired by the expressway authority for UPDIC, around 1,700 hectares have already been acquired and allocated to investors. Notably, nearly 1,000 hectares have been earmarked for investors in Jhansi, aiming to develop it as a hub for the production and testing of arms and ammunition, with Bharat Dynamics leading the investment charge in Jhansi.

BS