Business team from Thailand to explore investment opportunities in UP: Minister

A delegation of entrepreneurs from Thailand is likely to visit Uttar Pradesh in October to explore the "immense possibilities of investment" in the state, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said Monday.

After a video-conference with former deputy prime minister of Thailand Mark Dabbarasi, the minister for MSME and export promotion told PTI that he evinced keen interest in setting up food processing clusters in the state.

"In October, a delegation of entrepreneurs will come from Thailand to visit UP," Dabbarasi told Singh when he spoke of the immense possibilities of investment in the state.

The interaction is part of the efforts of the Yogi Adityanath government to bring maximum investment in the state and to provide employment opportunities to migrant workers by constantly communicating with ambassadors and entrepreneurs of different countries.

Dabbarasi showed special interest in the new industrial and investment policy of the state and said the possibilities of investment in Uttar Pradesh's MSME sector are "limitless".

He also said that the "OTOP Program" of Thailand is same as the "ODOP scheme" in Uttar Pradesh.

OTOP, he said, stood for “one tambon (block), one product” in Thailand. Thailand will be interested for an MoU for these two programs, Dabbarasi said.

Singh said MSMEs from both the countries will be benefited if Uttar Pradesh gets technologies from Thailand.

He informed Dabbarasi about the merits of Uttar Pradesh and said that the state is a big market for investors. A large number of MSME products are exported from here, the minister said.

Singh also informed Dabbarasi that the construction of Asia's largest Jewar airport in Gautam Budh Nagar was in full swing and development of 11 smaller airports are being done to improve air connectivity in the state.

To improve road connectivity, he said, construction of expressways in the state was in progress.

He also said that under the leadership of Adityanath, the state government has relaxed labour laws to help various businesses and industries. Besides, many rules have been relaxed for setting up new industries.

Dabbarasi said he has read the Bhagavad Gita twice and added that in the 15th century, the capital of Thailand was called “Ayathaya” which is Ayodhya in local language.

Therefore, Uttar Pradesh and Thailand have cultural and religious connect, he said, and asserted that Adityanath is a popular leader in Thailand as both are building Ram Temple.