The UP government is ramping up land acquisition for the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor

The Uttar Pradesh government is aggressively acquiring land for the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) to make the state a major investment destination.

AKIC, which includes two nodes in Agra and Prayagraj districts, will span across 20 cities in seven states such as Punjab, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The corridor covers one of the most densely populated regions in the world and supports almost 40 percent of India’s population living in relatively economically weaker districts.

AKIC is proposed to be developed in tracts of land flanking the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claims that the state will directly benefit from the AKIC project and has asked officials to ensure that there is no shortage of land for the mega project.

“Maintain ongoing communication with the Center for the project. This industrial corridor will give new heights to the development of the state,” he said.

AKIC aims to usher in infrastructure and industry expansion in the seven states on its route to catalyze industrial growth and job creation.

The CM also directed officials to resolve time-bound issues related to the industry to boost investor confidence in the state’s ‘doing business’ ecosystem.

The state is promoting various infrastructure projects such as freight corridors, dry ports, highways, airports, expressways, waterways and logistics hubs.

Meanwhile, in Lucknow, a Bank of America (BoA) delegation met UP Additional Chief Secretary and Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh to explore investment opportunities.

Singh said the state has emerged as a preferred investment destination for both domestic and global companies across sectors.

“UP is India’s most preferred business destination due to its rich cultural heritage and favorable business environment. The improved law and order has significantly contributed to creating an enabling environment for business and investment,” he said.

The BoA delegation explored a wide range of investment opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, energy and healthcare.

“The delegation showed a strong interest in contributing to the dynamic growth of the state, recognizing its strategic importance as a major investment destination in India,” an official said.

Meanwhile, the government is aggressively demonstrating its industrial and foreign direct investment policies to attract global companies. The state has collected investment proposals worth ~40 trillion at the UP Global Investors Summit 2023.

First print: June 10, 2024 | 4:46 pm IST