Report : Investing in Perception Building

-Nishant Kr Azad in Lucknow-

It was my second visit to the city of Nawabs, Lucknow, after March 12, 2017, the day BJP stormed into power with a thumping majority in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
This time, I reached Lucknow on the backdrop of Uttar Pradesh Investors’ Summit which is scheduled on February 21-22, 2018 at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan. Every nook and corner of Lucknow was abuzz with this summit. One can find big hoardings of Investors Summit at all the significant places in the city with the tagline “Powering New India”.
The stated aim of the Summit is to lure investors and showcase the investment opportunities. According to the sources in the Government, the two day event aims to showcase the investment opportunities and potential in  various sectors of Uttar Pradesh. While travelling by auto from Charbagh to Vidhan Sabha, one can feel the changing perception about governance under Yogi-led BJP Government. I asked the autowallah Nayak Ram, “Bhaiya Pradesh me kucch badla ya sab pehle jaisa hi hai”, he enthusiastically replied, “Bhai Saahab yahan ab sab chaka chak hai, khaas karke law and order”. The State known for den of criminal activities seems to be changing its colour.
Crime-free Climate
Uttar Pradesh bets big on Investors Summit for image makeover and the countdown to the summit has begun. The State which has been infamous for crime and corruption during the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party regime seems to be on a revival path. Time and again it is alleged that the previous Government of Samajwadi party had failed to provide conducive investment climate in the State, but the present BJP Government’s approach of ‘zero-tolerance’ to crime and corruption is making the State to reinvent its identity as a business-friendly State.
The Government has been able to create a fearless environment for investors. The data says it all. Within one year of Yogi Government over 1,000 encounters have been reported and the State police have gunned down over 50 notorious criminals and rest are running for their life.

Claiming that the law and order situation had improved in Uttar Pradesh, a senior police official in the Uttar Pradesh Police informed Organiser, “Since BJP came to power, criminals are living in fear. They know that their activities will either land them to jail or they will be killed. Now there is a stability in law and order situation in the State. Yogi Adityanath Government has given a clear message to criminals to either mend their ways or be ready to face the consequences. We have clear instructions from top to handle the anti-social elements with iron hand and not  to fear or work under any duress while dealing with the criminals”.
About the Investors Summit, she said, “Earlier investors were not enthusiastic about investing in Uttar Pradesh due to law and order issues, but the rule of law is on top priority of this Government. We are hoping that the summit will become successful”.
On request of anonymity, a hotel owner of Gomti Nagar shared his experience and said, “Uttar Pradesh had become the State of rampant lawlessness and crime under Akhilesh Government. Loot and ransom was the only flourishing business. People of a particular community and caste used to enjoy Government patronage. Those who have lived in UP will agree with this. But since the BJP Government came to power, CM Yogi Adityanath has tightened the screws”.
Not the First Time
However, this is not the first time any investors summit is to be organised in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav Government organised two such summits, one in 2013 and the other in 2015. Before that Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party Government also had a summit in Mumbai to lure the investors. Yet, both the Governments failed to bring in any significant industrial investment. While Akhilesh’s Government failed on the law and order front, Mayawati’s Government was infamous for corruption.
Afraid of crime and corruption in the State, investors preferred other destinations like Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, where the State Governments played a proactive role in luring the investors by providing a business friendly environment and setting up an effective mechanism of the single-window clearances.
Opportunity for Uttar Pradesh  The investor-friendly policy direction of the Government and the ‘Good Governance’ initiatives can certainly go a long way in transforming the State into a preferred investment destination. Through the investors summit, the Government has an opportunity to provide a mega platform to the investors, if reactions from the industry people are to be believed.
Talking over phone to the magazine, Divyajot Singh, Executive, CIA Uttar Pradesh said, “We have received
overwhelming response from all quarters. The state of Uttar Pradesh was politically volatile but now we are coming out of that image. Infrastructure is being developed. The Government is also working on International corridor through which Lucknow will be directly connected to all the major cities of the country. This will lead to business opportunities to the people of the State and outsiders also. It will also help in creating jobs for the youth. The summit would benefit every part of Uttar Pradesh in long run”.
“Earlier development and exposure was limited to the NCR regions but now this Government is committed to overall development of the State,” he informed.
New Initiatives
With the motive of inclusiveness and balanced development, the Yogi Government has instructed district collectors to invite at least 50 entrepreneurs from their respective districts to the summit. To promote business and industry in Uttar Pradesh, the Government has also introduced a ‘Single window system’ to ensure that businesspersons are not made to visit Government offices time and again. Investors have to make on-line applications so that they may be informed about all required information at one place. The new system will ensure the completion of all paper work at one point.
A close associate of the Industry Minister of the State, Satish Mahana said, “Recently launched policies will provide an enabling ecosystem for business to prosper in the State. The policies are future oriented and aim to foster the goal of inclusive, sustainable and balanced development. We have simplified the process for doing business  and developed one of the best single window clearance mechanisms in the country which will definitely woo the investors.”
Reacting to the preparation of the summit, he assured, “The summit will be a game changer and definitely carry an impression of CM Yogi as an efficient leader”.
The Government has already created an ambience through road shows across the country. According to the concerned people of the summit, over 5,000 delegates have already been registered for the Summit.
 The Yogi Government is leaving no stone unturned in making the summit a big success. Whether the outcome will really turn Uttar Pradesh into a new investment destination or it remains just another hyped summit, only time will tell.