UP Industry Minister Satish Mahana says curbing crime is the topmost priority of the state government.
Uttar Pradesh Industry Minister Satish Mahana has played a key role in the turnaround of the state in just one year since the Yogi Adityanath government took charge. In an interview to The Sunday Guardian, he talked about a host of issues. Excerpts:
Q. The Uttar Pradesh government is focusing on job creation and industries in the state which has a lot of potential to generate jobs. How does the state government plan to achieve the target in view of the investment interests received in the Investors Summit held recently?
A. Industry and employment generation supplement each other and whenever industries come, jobs will be created. As far as the new generation and new technology industries are concerned, we have skilled people and labour, we have qualified engineers and management workforce here in the state. We have the biggest numbers of engineering and management colleges in Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, we have linked all incentives not only with finances and capital investments, but we have linked them with employment generated by the industries. For example, if someone is putting up an industry of Rs 100 crore or say a Rs 200 crore mega project and if he gives employment to 750 people in various sectors, it is not necessary that he has invested Rs 200 crore. What is more important to us is that he is giving jobs to people and we shall still give the due incentives. So, incentives are primarily linked to employment generated by the companies. This step itself will bring about a major boost in providing jobs in the state.
Q. Recently, the UP government announced its industrial policies in the Investors Summit. How are the industries in UP expected to benefit from the policies?
A. No other state in the country other than Uttar Pradesh has such good industrial policies which give a big number of incentives that ensure ease of doing business and a single window system for industries. Industries will now benefit from the environment which has been created in the state by our policies and the commitments we have made to the industries. We are giving 100% reimbursements of stamp duty to purchase land, we are giving 5% interest subsidy on capital investment, and we are giving 5% subsidy to infrastructure development also up to the limit of Rs 5 crore annally. These are very good incentives that we have offered to the industries.
Q. The law and order situation has been a persistent problem in UP in the past, but has shown signs of improvement now. How do you think this will facilitate industries in the state?
A. As far as industries are concerned, our Chief Minister and I, being the minister of industry, will ensure that we practise zero tolerance towards criminal activities.
Curbing crime is the topmost priority of the government. Nobody can dare to harass any industry or ask for ransom from them till Yogiji is our Chief Minister. Our priority is to protect industries and give all the assistance they need.
Q. The government has initiated using digital platform for allotment of land for industries. How has this helped the industries?
A. The government has used digital platform for allotment of flats and this is the first time industries are getting land in UP without giving any extra incentives to the people at the government level and at the official level too.
Now, we have come up with the portal of Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC). All industrial plots will be uploaded in that portal. Anyone has the option to choose any of the plots, register his interest and also make payment in that portal. He does not have to go anywhere in the department.
Q. How is the infrastructure development in the state shaping up?
A. As far as UP is concerned, we will have the largest expressway highway in the country, in the state. We are coming up with the Lucknow-Purvanchal expressway highway at an investment of Rs 1,000 crore and simultaneously, the Bundelkhand express highway is coming up. Lucknow will be connected to Varanasi, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur and Chitrakut via Jhansi and nearby areas and also the Kanpur-Agra highway.