Lucknow,

09 Jan (HS): Chief

Minister Yogi Adityanath, along with Defense Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath

Singh, inaugurated Ashok Leyland Company's electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing

plant on Friday. The Chief Minister and other guests inspected the factory and

planted vermilion and Rudraksha saplings. CM Yogi congratulated the Hinduja

family for their investment and thanked them for their trust in the Uttar

Pradesh government.

The Chief

Minister said that before 2017, Uttar Pradesh was in need of recognition and

plagued by unrest, but today it is a state of celebration. Uttar Pradesh is no

longer a sick state; instead, it has established itself as a revenue surplus

state. Through determined decisions, clear intentions, and clear thinking,

fearless business, ease of doing business, and trust of doing

business have become the hallmarks of the new Uttar Pradesh. No investor

can fall victim to policy paralysis here. Uttar Pradesh now has 34 sectoral

policies, through which investors can invest in any sector and contribute to

Uttar Pradesh's development journey.

CM Yogi

said that this investment is extremely important for Uttar Pradesh. Before

2017, Uttar Pradesh's lawlessness was no secret; investors were fleeing.

However, upon coming to power in 2017, we declared it a state of unlimited

potential. Some people maligned it for their own political interests, but Uttar

Pradesh has now become a state of unlimited potential, transforming

possibilities into results. The transformation over the past eight and a half

years is a prime example of this.

Yogi

Adityanath said that the manufacturing capacity of this unit is currently 2500

units per year. It is to be gradually increased to 5000 units per year. This

project is also a symbol of the Prime Minister's commitment to Uttar Pradesh's

industrial development and environmental protection, and of all of us, firmly

believing in it. When the world is suffering from global warming and global

cooling, and numerous disasters are posing challenges, this electric vehicle

manufacturing plant is part of an effort to prepare us for such situations.

This has also created job and employment opportunities for thousands of youth

of the state, directly and indirectly.

He said

that today investment is taking place in all 75 districts of UP. Referring to

better connectivity, the CM said that UP has 55 percent of the expressways of

the country. Electric vehicles and metro are being operated for public

transport in most of the cities in the country in UP. UP has the largest rail

network in the country. Two dedicated freight corridors being built in the

country are passing through UP. Work is also being done to develop UP's

logistics terminal and logistics and transport hub on these. The first rapid

rail and waterway in the country has also been operationalized in UP.

The CM

said that Ashok Leyland's EV manufacturing plant is part of the FDI and

Fortune-500 policy. Before 2017, the share of FDI in UP was like a drop in the

ocean, but today, through its policy, UP has attracted FDI and Fortune-500. He

said that the MoU was signed in September 2023. The LOI and land transfer

process was completed in January 2024. The world-class plant was built in just

18 months and is being dedicated to the country today, so this is the result of

the double engine's fast track approval system and good governance.

Yogi

Adityanath referring to the bus manufactured at the plant, he said that it is a

17-18 seater bus costing Rs 15 lakh. Apart from this, other manufacturing units

have started here for school buses and city-to-city connectivity. UP's electric

vehicle policy will play an important role in giving it a new impetus. The UP

government is going to sign an MoU with Hindu Group to connect 10,000 youth of

UP with skill development every year at this plant.

At the

event, Ashok Leyland Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja also praised Defense Minister

Rajnath Singh. He stated that the strength and stability of the defense system

has created a reliable investment environment in the country. He also praised

the positive environment developed for industry under the leadership of Union

Heavy Industries and Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy, noting that concrete and

effective initiatives are being taken to promote clean energy-based

transportation. The country is consistently setting new benchmarks in the

electric vehicle sector.

Ashok

Leyland Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja welcomed the guests, and MD-CEO Shenu Agarwal

expressed his gratitude. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister

Brajesh Pathak, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna, Industrial

Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi', Transport Minister Dayashankar

Singh, MLA Rajeshwar Singh, and State Transformation Commission CEO Manoj Singh

were present at the event.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi