States alone can make Centre's programmes like 'Make In India' a success: UP CM Akhilesh Yadav

LUCKNOW: Only states can ensure the success of Centre's programmes like 'Make In India' project, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said today.
"States should come forward in this task. I can say whenever there is an opportunity and whenever there is participation of UP in any scheme of the Centre, the state will be at the forefront," he told the 'e-UP Summit' here.

After all, people living in states alone can make it possible as the Centre does not have a population of its own, the Chief Minister said.

He said that during a recent meeting of Chief Ministers, a senior officer told him that Uttar Pradesh has done miracle by opening maximum number of accounts under Jan Dhan Scheme launched by the Centre.

"The highest number of accounts was opened in UP. We have maximum number of bank branches," he said.

Yadav said the state was ahead in many sectors, be it agriculture, dairy production or sugarcane cultivation.

"We are making efforts to improve infrastructure because I believe that without infrastructure we cannot attract any industrial house to the state," he said.

"Therefore, after coming to power, we not only fulfilled promises made in the election manifesto, but budgetary allocation was done for those sectors that can improve the infrastructure," he said.

The Chief Minister said whether it was promoting roads or generating power, the state government did that through its own budgetary allocation.

He said the government brought policies in sectors that were lagging behind.

"The longest expressway is being built in UP at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore. Efforts are on to ensure it is completed in next two years. After construction of Lucknow-Agra way, connectivity between Delhi and Lucknow will become more convenient," Yadav said.

He said though Benguluru, Hyderabad and Chennai have made a mark as industrial and IT hub, Noida and Greater Noida in UP adjoining Delhi was not lagging behind these cities in any way.

"On this occasion, I will like to assure you that whatever support this sector will need, government will extend maximum help. Because, if investment will come, UP will progress. When manufacturing sector will grow, jobs will be created automatically," he said.

Yadav said efforts would be to bring the IT sector, whether it was hardware or software, in other parts of the state like Agra and Gorakhpur.

"We have already started work on IT parks," he said. The Chief Minister said when the state government launched the skill development programme, a whopping 40 lakh students registered online.

Welcoming Korean Ambassador Joon-gyu Lee, Akhilesh said the country has long relationship with India, especially UP.

"The ties will strengthen further when your people will come here for investment," he said.