Easy land allotment policy to facilitate defence corridor

Lucknow: Timely clearance of land and licences turned out to be a major concern of investors who evinced interest in the UP defence industrial corridor during the second groundbreaking event at IGP on Sunday. The government on its part promised an easy land allotment policy soon.
According to CEO of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) Awanish Awasthi, the corridor will pass through the six districts of Lucknow, Agra, Aligarh, Jhansi, Chitrakoot and Kanpur.
More than 5,071 hectares will be acquired. Around 59% of the total land is needed in Jhansi; followed by 20% in Kanpur; 10% in Chitrakoot; 6% in Agra; 4% in Lucknow; 1% in Aligarh.
Officials of UPEIDA said final land proposal from Agra and Kanpur were awaited. Since IIT-Kanpur is the technical adviser and partner in the corridor project, it will give a chunk of land.Investors from SMPP Private Ltd, BAE Systems and MKU Private Ltd raised concerns during the 45-minute panel discussion led by director, defence and aerospace, Colonel (retd) KV Kuber.
Managing director of MKU Vaibhav Gupta, MD of BAE Systems Nikhil Khanna and executive director of SMPP Ashish Kansal said land cost, licences and timely land allotment were major concerns before the project could be kicked off.
Awasthi assured investors that work to draft a policy for easy allotment of land was underway and it would take another 45 days to be ready. Once the policy is implemented, allotment of land will be easier. Also, discount will be given in cost of land. "We are planning to meet the defence minister to sort out things," state industry minister Satish Mahana said.