Yogi Government Considering New Agroforestry Policy for Plywood Industry
Lucknow ( Raghwendra Pratap Singh) : The Yogi government is continuously strengthening its position as one of the country’s most attractive investment destinations through industry-friendly policies, Ease of Doing Business reforms, world-class infrastructure, and a favorable ecosystem for investors. In line with this, a high-level investment dialogue was held on Monday at the Invest UP office in Lucknow with approximately 100 plywood industry representatives and potential investors from various states, including West Bengal, Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka, and Punjab.
All suggestions and issues raised during this meeting will be presented before Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for swift implementation. The meeting featured detailed discussions on Uttar Pradesh’s industrial capabilities, infrastructure ready for investment, simplified approval processes, and investment opportunities available in the plywood and allied industries.
Senior officials engaged in a direct dialogue with industry representatives, reiterating the state government’s commitment to industrial growth.On this occasion, Deepak Kumar, Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, stated that the state government is committed to developing a competitive and future-oriented ecosystem for the plywood and agroforestry industry.
He noted that Uttar Pradesh will move rapidly toward formulating a dedicated policy for this sector. “We will also study the policies of neighboring states to develop a more competitive and industry-friendly framework for the plywood and agroforestry industry,” he added.
He further stated that industry representatives would be included in the committee to be formed for this sector, ensuring that policy decisions are aligned with practical experiences and the needs of the industry.Vijay Kiran Anand, CEO of Invest UP, said that Uttar Pradesh has emerged as one of the most competitive investment destinations in the country due to continuous reforms, a proactive investment facilitation mechanism, and a strong industrial base.
He highlighted that the state’s 36+ sectoral policies, capital subsidies, land-based incentives, and employment assistance schemes are providing comprehensive and future-oriented opportunities for investors to expand in the manufacturing sector. He mentioned that the state would soon identify four to five industrial clusters from the available land bank and reserve them for cluster-based development.
Additionally, if investors require extra land beyond the land bank, the state government will strive to make it available and ensure its allotment within six months.
Representatives of the Plywood Federation described this industry as a multi-dimensional sector linked to agriculture, manufacturing, and rural livelihoods. They suggested developing a “One Industrial Park” model along the lines of the ODOP (One District One Product) scheme.
They also highlighted challenges related to licensing, forest regulations, pollution standards, punitive provisions, and NOCs for agroforestry-based industries, proposing the creation of a separate policy for agro-based industries.
Responding to this, Deepak Kumar said, “We will seriously take forward all the suggestions and issues raised by the industry and present them to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to find industry-friendly and practical solutions.”The meeting was also attended by other senior officials, including Prerna Sharma, Additional CEO of Invest UP. As part of the program, the investor delegation will visit the Sandila area of Hardoi district on June 23 to assess land availability, infrastructure, and possibilities for industrial development.
This initiative is expected to attract new investments, boost job creation, and further strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem of Uttar Pradesh.
