World Bank to aid development of investment zones in UP

The World Bank has agreed to fund the preparation of preliminary master plans for the development of the Auraiya Investment Zone and the Allahabad-Naini-Bara Investment Zone in Uttar Pradesh, state officials said in Lucknow today.

Infrastructure and industrial development department (IIDD) principal secretary Surya Pratap Singh said the Uttar Pradesh government was in an advanced stage of notifying two investment zones at Auraiya and Allahabad.

"Preparation of master plans of these zones would help in accelerating the implementation of dedicated freight corridor project," he said.

The issue was studied by a World Bank delegation to Uttar Pradesh led by lead urban specialist Barjor Mehta, and including agriculture and urbanisation expert Ireena Vittal, consultant for competitive industries practice and manufacturing Yannik Saleman, and urban planner Vibhu Jain.

Singh said that once developed, the regions would catapult Uttar Pradesh to the forefront of industrial growth. He said that along with Allahabad and Auraiya, the state government would pitch for preparation of master plan of Kannauj also, giving much needed fillip to traditional 'attar' (perfume) industry in the region.

Uttar Pradesh has also proposed to develop two National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) and five industrial zones along the state's section of the industrial corridor.

The Proposed NIMZs include Auraiya National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (6,043 hectares) and Jhansi National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (5,567 hectares).

Industrial zones have also been proposed at Pashchimanchal Industrial Zone (2,000 hectares), Braj Industrial Zone (2,000 hectares), Kanpur Logistics hub (6,000 hectares), Allahabad-Naini-Bara Investment Zone (3,000 hectares) and Mughalsari-Varansai-Mirzapur Investment Zone (3,000 hectares).