Over ₹6,000 crore investments have come into two defence industrial corridors (DICs) of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu out of total commitment of close to ₹24,000 crore to the two States emerging from 163 MoUs with industries and institutions, the government told the parliament on Monday.

The government has set up the two defence industrial corridors at Lucknow and Chennai which will attract total investments ₹20,000 crore by the year 2024-25 to develop a domestic supply chain and strengthen military equipment manufacturing ecosystem in the country, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said in a written response to AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s query in the Rajya Sabha.

“As per available information, 108 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) have been signed with industry/organisation in UPDIC having potential investment of ₹12,191 crore. Investment of ₹2,445 crore has been made and 1,611 ha of lands has been acquired so far for development of UPDIC,” Bhatt told parliamentarians.

“Further, in Tamil Nadu, arrangements have been made through MoUs etc with 53 industries for potential investment of ₹11,794 crore. Investment worth ₹3,894 crore has been made and 910 ha has been acquired so far for development of TNDIC,” he elaborated.

The UPDIC is spread over six nodes of Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, Kanpur, Chitrakoot and Lucknow, while TNDIC is confined to Chennai, Hosur, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchirappalli. Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) is the nodal agency for UPDIC and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) is the nodal agency for TNDIC, with both the states announcing their respective aerospace and defence policy to attract investments in DICs.

To ensure self reliance in the defence sector, the government has introduced many reforms and policy initiatives to reduce imports in design, development and manufacture of military hardware and software. Defence industry sector, however, was opened up in May 2001 up to 100 per cent for Indian private sector participation. “Since the opening up of Defence sector till date, a total of 606 Industrial Licenses have been issued to 369 companies operating in defence sector,” the MoS said in response to another query.

Girl Students in Sainik schools

To another question from TMC MP Nussrat Jahan, Minister Ajay Bhatt told Lok Sabha that 838 girl students are studying in 51 Sainik Schools spread across the country. There are two types of Sainik Schools -- the old ones run jointly under the aegis of Sainik Schools Society, Ministry of Defence and concerned state government where the school is located, while the new set-ups are in partnership mode either with NGOs/private/ state government.

Of the total, 702 girl students study at 33 Sainik Schools running in old format while 136 are enrolled in 18 latest schools operating in hybrid mode, according to the government.

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