Farmers process harvested wheat using combine harvester in a field in Prayagraj. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Uttar Pradesh is focusing on infrastructure development, agricultural productivity, developing dedicated clusters for export, bringing two-three big projects in each low-income district of Eastern U.P. and Bundelkhand along with export of agricultural commodities and strengthening human capital, said Manoj Kumar Singh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of State Transformation Commission, Uttar Pradesh to The Hindu.
“With the present Chief Minister, the issue of law and order has been resolved firmly. It generated confidence among investors, we seeing unprecedented investment intends which are also materialising on the ground across the State in the last 8-9 years. Presently we are focusing high on infrastructure development. We recently got inaugurated Ganga expressway and Noida International Airport at Jewar, we are eyeing to develop Jewar airport as a cargo hub for export of agricultural and horticulture items. In coming few weeks, you will see foundation lying ceremony of 4-5 mega infrastructure projects like expressway. Infrastructure and human resource, these are two strengths we need to work upon,” said Mr. Singh, a retired 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who is appointed in November 2025 for a three-year term, and became the first person to lead the State Transformation Commission, a strategic think tank of the government focused on policy innovation and long-term structural reforms in Uttar Pradesh.
On major gap in per capita income between Western U.P. district like Gautam Buddha Nagar and Eastern U.P. Districts he said, “Gautam Buddha Nagar alone give 10% of state GDP, 10 districts of Western U.P. Districts give 40% of state GDP. Gautam Buddha Nagar was established for getting investment, an ecosystem was developed in the last 40-45 years. To increase the output of Eastern U.P. Districts and bridge the gap, we are making many interventions like through UP-AGREES project funded by the World Bank, we are focusing on 28 low-income districts of the State, including 21 districts of Eastern U.P., through which we aim to increase agricultural productivity by targeted intervention, we are trying to develop clusters for export, it is one line of action. Through the State transformation commission, we have organised focused workshop to make specific intervention to increase productivity and per capita income of these districts,” added Mr. Singh.
The UP-AGREES project is a World Bank-funded initiative with a total duration of six years and an estimated budget of approximately ₹4,000 crores with the project’s primary focuses on the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors. It covers 28 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including seven districts from the Bundelkhand region and 21 districts from Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Within the project area, 123 low-productive blocks out of a total of 319 have been identified for targeted interventions. The district administrations have identified 3,690 low-productive villages across 123 blocks, covering nearly 6 lakh hectares, for targeted development to boost productivity and livelihoods.
Published – May 22, 2026 11:08 am IST
