Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 21 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has held a high-level review of three important issues related to the future economy of the state: Uttar Pradesh Data Center Cluster (UPDCC), Project Ganga and possible relaxation in mandi fees and mandi cess to promote in-house processing of wheat.

While reviewing the UP Data Center Cluster (UPDCC), the Chief Minister said that this project will form the infrastructure of Uttar Pradesh's AI mission. He said that the data center cluster should not be limited to the NCR region only, but other parts of the state should also be connected to it, as per the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

The Chief Minister directed that it could be started from the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) area, where large-scale land is available. He also asked to work towards developing Lucknow as an 'AI City' by establishing dialogue with big tech companies, including the Tata Group.

The meeting informed that the Uttar Pradesh data center cluster is a long-term strategy to make the state the largest AI compute power center in India and the Global South. It aims to make Uttar Pradesh a global hub for artificial intelligence, data centers, cloud infrastructure and high-tech digital manufacturing.

The presentation said that this is not just a project but a blueprint for the new economic structure of Uttar Pradesh for the next 50 years. It aims to create a $5 trillion economy, over 1.5 million direct jobs and develop a 5 GW AI compute corridor by 2040.

The meeting said that by 2040, the world's new economy will evolve around 'future arenas' such as AI, cloud, cybersecurity, semiconductors, electric vehicles, robotics and space technology, whose combined global market could reach $29 to $48 trillion. Sectors like AI software and services, cloud services, cybersecurity, semiconductors, aerospace and EVs will be the key economic engines of the future for India.

The meeting highlighted Uttar Pradesh's five major structural strengths - geographical location, vast land availability, large youth population, rapidly developing infrastructure and strong leadership. Uttar Pradesh's inland location makes it safe from marine hazards and cyclones, while expressways, airports, logistics networks and power infrastructure are developing faster than ever, it said.

Vast technical talent is available in the state thanks to IIT Kanpur, NIT Prayagraj and more than 50 engineering institutes, it added in the release.

In the meeting, Uttar Pradesh was described as 'Asia's most secure, scalable and connected inland AI territory'. It said that almost all the major fiber networks of the country pass through UP and the state is connected to all submarine cable landing points in India. Less than 5 millisecond latency within the state and 5-12 millisecond connectivity to digital hubs such as Mumbai and Chennai are available. UP is the ideal AI infrastructure hub for global tech companies with lower costs, better scalability and greater network redundancy.

The Chief Minister also reviewed 'Project Ganga', i.e. Governor Assisted Network for Growth and Advancement. He directed that quality training should be given to the youth who are selected as digital entrepreneurs. He said that such a system should be developed so that the surveying companies can also use these youth.

The Chief Minister emphasised the speedy expansion of optical fiber network and ensuring complete transparency in operations. He also said that proper incentives should be provided to digital entrepreneurs right from the start.

The meeting was informed that Project Ganga is an ambitious initiative to bring a high-speed broadband network to rural Uttar Pradesh. It aims not only to provide internet but also to promote telemedicine, digital education, skill development, e-governance, digital employment and rural entrepreneurship. The project aims to develop more than 10 thousand youth as Digital Service Providers (DSPs), which is estimated to create around 50 thousand direct jobs and over 1 lakh indirect jobs.

The plan aims to connect more than 20 lakh households with a fibre-based high-speed internet network. Each DSP can connect 200 to 300 households in its area. Special priority has also been given to women entrepreneurship and a target has been set to add about 50 per cent of women entrepreneurs.

The meeting pointed out that limited services are possible only through mobile internet, while high-speed broadband is required for real digital transformation. Services like AI-based agriculture, drone monitoring, smart villages, virtual labs, telemedicine and cloud computing require a strong digital infrastructure.

Under Project Ganga, DSPs will not only be internet service providers but will also develop a complete network of digital services in rural areas. They will provide services like high-speed broadband, IPTV, OTT access, CCTV solutions, public Wi-Fi, cybersecurity and enterprise connectivity. Under the scheme, an interest-free loan of up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each DSP. The project is currently in preparation to be launched as a 'proof of concept' in 21 primary districts and will be expanded to the entire state thereafter.

The Chief Minister also reviewed in detail the strategy to promote in-house processing of wheat. He emphasised the need to improve the mandi tax and mandi fee system and said that the mandis of the state should be made modern, clean and attractive. He directed that cleaning, painting, lighting during festivals, removal of encroachments and better management should be ensured in the mandis.

Referring to the possible impact of El Nino, the Chief Minister said that it may affect crops in the coming years, so the state has to be prepared for food security now. He said that the foodgrain reserves of the state should be adequate and strong.

It was told in the meeting that Uttar Pradesh is the largest wheat-producing state in the country. Wheat production in the state is estimated at 372 lakh metric tonnes in the year 2025-26, while the total availability reaches 407 lakh metric tonnes.

About 2.88 crore farmers are involved in wheat production in the state. Despite this, due to limited processing capacity, large quantities of wheat are exported to other states as raw grains, leading to price accrual, GST revenue and employment opportunities moving out of the region, as per the release.

There are 559 roller floor mills in the state with a total milling capacity of 218.4 lakh metric tonnes, but the actual utilisation is limited to only 126.45 lakh metric tonnes. Apart from this, more than 40 thousand flour mills are also operated.

The report said that if wheat processing is promoted within the state, employment, power consumption, GST collection and food industries can be greatly expanded. The committee suggested that wheat procured by mills registered in Uttar Pradesh for processing within the state be exempted from mandi charges and development cess but not applicable to trading activities. (ANI)