Uttar Pradesh is ideal investment destination: Nitin Gadkari

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 12 : Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for his efforts to improve the state's agriculture and industry and stated that Yogi Adityanath's vision will change people's perceptions of Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing a session on 'E Mobility, Vehicle and Future Mobility' on the second day of the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit-2023, Gadkari said, "Uttar Pradesh is the best destination for investment. Investment opportunities in the field of e-mobility are enormous due to the abundance of water, energy, human resources, and excellent connectivity."
He said that the entrepreneurs may help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Aatm Nirbhar Bharat' by investing in Uttar Pradesh's e-mobility sector and contributing to environmental protection, employment generation, and poverty alleviation.
The Union Minister appreciated Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision and stated that while you may donate eyes, you cannot donate with a vision for progress.
"To end poverty, employment must be generated, and this will involve both industry and capital investment," he added.
"Industries will be established if there is capital investment, and if industries are established, employment will rise, which will end poverty. The Global Investors Summit was put together by Yogi Ji with this objective in mind. 'Expressway highway par Yogiji ke netratva mein Uttar Pradesh ki gaadi full speed se daud rahi hai.' With his efforts, Uttar Pradesh will be totally free from hunger, poverty, and unemployment," said Gadkari.
He said that this is a golden opportunity for investors to invest in Uttar Pradesh. CM Yogi's rule is a clear example of transparency, prompt decision-making, decentralisation of power, and positivism.
Gadkari added that India imports energy (gas, diesel, and petroleum products) worth Rs 16 lakh crore. This 16 lakh crore is going outside the country.
"The goal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to turn India into an exporter rather than an importer. Under the direction of CM Yogi, Uttar Pradesh has the greatest potential in terms of making India a nation that exports energy," he said.
Gadkari said that the turnover of the country in the automobile sector is Rs 7.8 lakh crores.
He further said that there are all major global brands here adding that this industry employs four crore people in the country. Additionally, this industry also gives maximum revenue from GST to the country and the states, he said.
"Our target is to raise the turnover of the country's automobile industry to a figure of 15 lakh crores in the next 5 years. This is also being accomplished with success thanks to technology. He said that India has the world's most talented and young engineering workforce. Our country's software engineers are in demand all over the world," the minister added.
When discussing the advancement of e-vehicles, Gadkari stated that electric vehicles like as automobiles, scooters, buses, lorries, tractors, JCBs, and construction machinery are currently being produced.
"Rs 100 crore is spent on diesel to build a road worth Rs 1000 crore. Using electronic machinery, on the other hand, will reduce this expense to just 10 crores, saving 90 crores," said Gadkari.
The Union Road and Transport Minister said that market availability, raw material availability, and the most recent technology are crucial components for industrial development.
"There is no market scarcity for us. Currently, the country has 30 crore cars. In ten years, there will be fewer people living there and more cars. There will be five vehicles in the household if there are three people living there," he said.
He said that the cost in the vehicle industry is also being reduced, for this a scrapping policy has been brought, it has been decided to scrap 15 lakh vehicles. In the Union Budget, the State Governments are also being encouraged to come up with a scheme to scrap the old vehicles. Automobile parts will cost 30 per cent less if 45 lakh outdated automobiles are scrapped.
Expressing the possibility of opening three scrap units in a district, he urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to form a cluster of scrapping, testing units, and driver training centers; his ministry will give full cooperation.
Gadkari informed that at present there are 20.8 lakh electric vehicles in the country. It has increased by 300 per cent as compared to 2021. The government aims to increase the number of electric vehicles in the country to two crore by 2030 and there will be 50 lakh government vehicles.
"The number of electric vehicles in Uttar Pradesh is currently 4.50 lakh. There are many startups starting here in this field. If this is promoted, 10 lakh people will get employment in UP," he said.
Suggesting London's e-vehicle transport model, Gadkari said that investors will run AC e-buses by investing their capital. There will be no conductor, as it will be a card system and there will be no tickets. The government will not spend a single rupee and an investment of Rs 100-200 crores will come. In the coming time, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Fatehpur, Ghaziabad can become hubs of electric vehicles in Uttar Pradesh.
He said that one crore people used to pull rickshaws in the country, 90 per cent of them are now driving e-rickshaws. The cost of an e-rickshaw is only 10 per cent as compared to those consuming petrol.
Gadkari said, "We must diversify agriculture in order to make the poor prosperous. In Uttar Pradesh, the sugarcane industry is worth Rs 50,000 crore, and now ethanol production is generating significant revenue. 75 distilleries in Uttar Pradesh produce 250 crore litres of ethanol each year. Right now there is a lot of shortage of ethanol, in such a way 500 distilleries can be set up in Uttar Pradesh. To enhance the quality consumption of ethanol, flex engine technology is being encouraged. If ethanol pumps are started in the village, the whole economy can change."
Gadkari said that the government has also taken the initiative to promote the production of green hydrogen from water and biomass and there is a lot of potential in Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing the session, CM Yogi stated that the future of e-mobility and its potential must be considered. During the previous few years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, he said, the picture of the role infrastructure plays in the development of the nation has become clear.
CM Yogi said that Nitin Gadkari has contributed significantly to the state and national infrastructure that is in place today. Today the country's first 12-lane expressway has started between Delhi and Meerut. Now the distance of Meerut can be covered in just 45 minutes.
"Today, the first waterway in the state from Haldia to Varanasi has started. Recently the world's largest river cruise was started between Varanasi to Dibrugarh."
The CM said that Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of electrical vehicles in the country. This is the reason why the State Government has taken forward the vast possibilities of this field by bringing its Electrical Vehicle Policy.
"We should set up charging stations, our planning should be done from now itself. If we really want to take a step towards the protection of the environment, then the system of electric vehicles will have to be taken forward. The state and central government are working to promote new start-ups in this direction so that these possibilities can be accelerated," he added.
Before addressing the session, Union Minister Gadkari and Chief Minister Adityanath visited the exhibition being held on the sidelines of the Global Investors Summit 2023.
State Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh, SIAM Executive Director Prashant Kumar Banerjee, Electric Mobility Group Chairman Sushant Nayak, Kosis Group CEO Ram Tumuluri, NITI Aayog CEO Parameswaram Iyer, Principal Secretary Transport L Venkateswara Lu were present in the session.