The Union Environment Ministry has granted approval for the development of 60 hectares of land dedicated to the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) in Chitrakoot.
According to the Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), this approval will facilitate projects worth Rs 5,000 crore, potentially creating 100,000 job opportunities in Chitrakoot.
A significant portion of Chitrakoot will be reserved as a greenbelt, and developers will incorporate modern measures for energy conservation, waste management, firefighting, and controlling noise, water, and air pollution. The UPDIC encompasses six nodes across Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, and Agra districts.
“This corridor is crucial for advancing the ‘Make in UP’ initiative of the Yogi Adityanath government and contributing to India’s military self-reliance and exports,” said a government official. The corridor will focus on producing drones, helicopters, arms, and ammunition.
The state government has already approved defence manufacturing projects worth Rs 25,000 crore and signed 140 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with both public and private companies. These MoUs include agreements with Adani Defence and Aerospace, BrahMos Aerospace, Ancor Research Labs, Tata Technologies, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Delta Combat Systems, SpiceJet Technic, Verivision, HAL, Gliders India, Defence Research & Development Organisation, Aerolloy Technologies, and others.
The Expressway Authority plans to acquire nearly 5,000 hectares for UPDIC, with about 1,700 hectares already acquired and allotted to investors. Additionally, approximately 1,000 hectares have been allocated to investors in Jhansi for developing a hub dedicated to arms and ammunition production and testing, with Bharat Dynamics as the lead investor in Jhansi.