Global Investors Summit: ‘Investor summits were considered mere events in the past. But not now’

Twenty two ministers and officials visited Europe, including Sweden, Belgium and Germany. While I have made foreign visits in the past also, the biggest change I felt is how PM Modi is now perceived abroad. Even the perception about UP has changed a lot as multinational companies are willing to become part of development here.

In the Summit, 23 Union ministers will be participating. What message is government is trying to send across?

Investor summits used to happen in the past as well but they were considered mere events then. We have set the target to take the state’s economy to 1 trillion dollars and to achieve that CM Yogi Adityanath has been asking senior ministers and officials to do away with hurdles in their departments. We studies policies of all the states which are doing well in terms of industrialisation.

Also, we have made efforts to ensue that along with preserving our culture, we are also able to take our economy on fast track with team work. Thus everyone is going to witness the benefits of double engine government. The state had only two airports when the BJP came to power. Now, we have nine.

Big investment targets have been set. While there are intents to the tune of lakhs crore, how will the government implement those on the ground?

This Summit is different from the previous ones not just in numbers and size but also how work is being done. We have been able to turn over Rs 4 lakh crore investment intent made in 2018 to reality. Nearly 1,000 senior officers have been made liaisoning offcers with individual industrialists for an ease of business. In the past, the investor summits were the responsibility of only the Industry Department but the entire government is now engaged in it as a team. Moreover, when groundbreaking ceremonies of projects are done by the PM, they are checked at 20 different levels.

Which major investors we will see in the Summit? Which sectors are drawing major attention?

Reliance, Tata, Hinduja, ITC, Hiranandani and Medanta will be there among others. CM Adityanath ji will personally interact with them during the Summit. We will analyse the priority sectors after the Summit. But many have shown interest in the renewable energy sector that appears to be an upcoming area of thrust. Then there are defence, textile and warehousing sectors as well.

During the CM’s Mumbai visit, Adani Group announced major investments in UP. Opposition is levelling allegations (involving Adani). Will it affect the Summit or investment targets?

It is true that the Adani Group had promised about Rs 60,000-70,000 crore investment. Who represents the company at the summit remains to be seen. Businesses see ups and downs but that is not going to affect the progress of the state or the country. The Opposition is making allegations as they have nothing else to do. We will cross Rs 25 lakh crore investment target. We have also invited former Uttar Pradesh CMs to the event.

Will there be any new announcements during the event?

I cannot tell much about the Centre but the state is going to launch Nivesh Mitra-2 to facilitate ease-of-doing business to the investors.