Rs 72,091 cr pumped into UP in 3 years: Amar Singh

UP Development Council Chairman and Rajya Sabha Member Amar Singh said here today the state had received investment proposals worth over a record Rs 72,091 crore in the last three years.

Addressing a seminar 'Strengthening of food processing and marketing facilities in UP" here today, Amar Singh ruled out any threat to projects even if there was change in government after the assembly polls slated for early next year.

"'The government is a continuous process and the political parties come and go but policies remain in place," he said, adding, "the present Samajwadi Party government had not dropped or changed any policy or projects initiated by the earlier BJP and BSP regimes of Rajnath Singh or Mayawati."

Singh said this seminar would prepare a road map for the food-processing units in the state by focusing on raw materials.

The UPDC chairman took strong exception to the entry of MNCs such as Cargill in the food-processing sector and their procuring wheat directly from the farmers.

"The state would be happy if small entrepreneurs enter the sector as it would create competition and farmers would get good price for their produce," he said, adding that big industrial houses would only try to monopolise the sector.

He said all projects and policies of the previous governments were taken up by the SP government except for the Taj Expressway linking Delhi with Agra by constructing an express way on the eastern banks of the Yamuna, started by the Mayawati government in 2003.

He clarified this project was shelved due to non-clearance by the environment ministry and some other issues.

The SP leader, targeting the media for what he called "negative publicity", said a section of the media was putting a road block to the developmental approach of the government.

He also said the state information department, the publicity tool of the state government, was also lacking circulating the positives of the government.

Citing an instance, he said the Tata's plan to set up the small car unit in West Bengal received wide publicity but their Rs 400 crore investment in UP went unnoticed.

Singh said this seminar would prepare a road map for the potential of food processing units in the state by focusing on raw materials. The UPDC chairman also took strong exception to the entry of MNCs such as Cargill and other companies in the food processing sector and procuring wheat directly from the farmers. The state would be happy if small entrepreneurs enter the sector as it would create competition and farmers would get good price for their produce," he said, adding that big industrial houses would only try to monopolise the sector.

State industrial development commissioner (IDC) Atul Kumar Gupta, in his welcome address, said over Rs 1,200 crore investments had been received in the food processing sector alone. He also announced to open a Food Park in the state.