Mayawati woos NRIs to invest in UP

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday assured potential investors that her government was stable and there was no threat to it.

She said the state would provide a cogenial atmosphere to all investors if they decide to invest in the new infrastructure, information technology and biotechnology projects undertaken by it.

Mayawati was attending the 28th annual meeting of the US India Business Council at the Marriott Financial Center in New York. A state government delegation accompanied her.

"I enjoy absolute majority in the UP Assembly," she remarked. Answering a question, she said the Uttar Pradesh government is stable. "Had there been a threat, would I be here on a foreign trip?" she asked rediff.com.

Dismissing news reports about the instability, she said, "Aap log jaise news apni marzi se kuch bhi twist karke flash kar dete hain, usme main kya kar sakti hoon? (The media twists the news as it pleases; what can I do?)."

The chief minister is on a fortnight-long foreign tour to attract investment to the state. At the inaugural session of the USIBC, she sought participation of NRIs/PIOs in the infrastructure development projects being created in Uttar Pradesh.

Four special economic zones are being set up, which will offer concessions and exemptions with regard to laws relating to labor, power and tax, she said. The government is also in the process of establishing a Web city near Delhi, and global advertisements had been issued, she added.

Other projects for which Mayawati sought investments included the 8-lane Taj Expressway being built from Noida to Agra which is expected to cost about Rs 2,500 crore (Rs 25 billion) and for the development of NRI City, IT City, Medi City, Bio-tech City and a modern shopping mall near Noida.

India, Mayawati said, has seen remarkable economic changes and Uttar Pradesh is one of the 'most industrially developed' state in North India which great economic potential.

"By way of a presentation, we have shown the special steps taken to encourage big and small industries in Uttar Pradesh," she said.

Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati told the entrepreneurs, is one of the best-governed and investor-friendly states where "you all can operate with full confidence."

She said she looking for private investors to participate in the establishment of world-class institutes in medicine and engineering as also in setting up universities in the state.

"And show people the reality so that they invest their money in Uttar Pradesh and benefit from that."

UP government secretary for information Rohit Nandan said the chief minister had so addressed NRIs in London, Toronto and New Jersey.

In London, industrialist G P Hinduja had declared he would be setting up a unit in Uttar Pradesh, he said.

NRIs in Toronto had assured the delegation that they would visit the state in November. The commissioner of Orlando had given a similar assurance, he said.

He said while speaking to PIOs in New Jersey, the chief minister took up social infrastructure rather than industry. People were invited to invest in education and healthcare.

Mayawati concluded her inaugural address by once again allaying fears of political instability in Uttar Pradesh. "There is no threat to my government," she reiterated. "We have more than an absolute majority."