UP Defense Corridor is a growing powerhouse of Make in India
Digital Desk, Lucknow. One of the most ambitious projects of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh Defense Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), is now coming on the ground at a fast pace. Realizing the national vision of making the country self-reliant in the defense and aerospace sector, this corridor is taking a decisive step towards making the state a global hub of defense manufacturing. So far, more than 977.54 hectares of land has been allotted to 62 defense sector companies, paving the way for investment worth Rs 11,997.45 crore and generation of 14,256 direct employment. This corridor is no longer just a scheme but has become a success story of 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' campaign.
Progress details and strategic expansion
Land acquisition and development of nodes
UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) is acting as the nodal agency in the implementation of this corridor. A total of more than 2,097 hectares of land was sanctioned for the 6 strategic nodes of the corridor (Aligarh, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, Chitrakoot and Agra), out of which the acquisition of more than 2,040 hectares of land has been successfully completed.
2. Increasing figures of investment and employment
Under the active monitoring of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a total of 197 MOUs (memorandum of understanding) have been signed so far for the corridor, of which 172 are industrial MOUs.
Proposed Investment: Proposed investment of ₹34,844.49 crore is coming through these signed MoUs.
Jobs created: It is estimated that 52,658 jobs will be created in the state.
Investment in the pipeline: The next phase of MOU process with more than 110 companies is in the pipeline, which is likely to generate investment of more than Rs 22,847 crore and create more than 38,000 jobs.
3. National and strategic importance
UPDIC is moving towards becoming a global hub of defense manufacturing not only for the state but for the entire country. The establishment of the manufacturing unit of the country's major project like BrahMos missile in Lucknow node underlines the strategic importance of this corridor.
According to HP Shahi, ACEO, UPEIDA, this corridor is now giving tough competition to established states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in the field of defense production. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given a vision to rapidly move the state towards the goal of 'Trillion Dollar Economy' by linking it with “One District-One Product” (ODOP) and “Make in India”.