 "Akhilesh successful in cultivating pro-industry image of UP: ASSOCHAM")
The Akhilesh Yadav government has been successful in cultivating a pro-industry image of Uttar Pradesh through publicity and engaging with industry, ASSOCHAM today said.
At various public forums, the chief minister has never minced words in saying that while the Samajwadi Party regime has been at the forefront in development projects, it has miserably failed to "market" and publicise its work.
"There has been a gradual shift in the perception about UP as an investment destination under the current dispensation and it is slowly turning positive," ASSOCHAM secretary general D S Rawat told Business Standard here.
With less than two years left for the 2017 state elections, the Akhilesh government has rolled out an elaborate media and publicity blitzkrieg to publicity its various development projects, schemes and policies.
At regular intervals, there have been full page ads in leading national dailies, while similar publicity and advertising slots have been regularly appearing in other mass mediums, including TV, radio and web.
"The investors are not sitting in UP, so they need to be told about the state government policies at attracting investment and spurring economic development," he noted while supporting the current media campaign initiated by the government.
More From This Section
Rawat further claimed even the law and order perception about UP was improving, although he added a lot needed to be done before the state could match up to the top performing states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in this parameter.
The law and order remains the Achilles heel of the Akhilesh government with incidents being reported and played up in the print and electronic media about the deterioration in the situation. The recent cases of loot and murder at ATM counters, cash handling van etc underline the gaps in policing and sloppy intelligence network.
Meanwhile, ASSOCHAM released a report saying UP was fast emerging as a cost-effective manufacturing hub for medical and dental instruments owing to significant availability of trained manpower.
"UP could emerge as a hub for medical devices manufacturing by 2020 if an incentive package by way of tax concessions was made available to the industry," Rawat said.
He maintained UP also held significant potential to attract foreign direct investment in medical devices manufacturing.
With 33 factories in medical and dental instruments and supplies sector operating in UP, the state holds second highest share of over 10% in total 316 such factories that are under operation across India after Gujarat (18% share)