lucknow blaming caste politics as the main cause of ups economic backwardness union finance minister arun jaitley said that the state has been unable to draw large chunks of investments in last 2025 years due to lack of pursuance of development agenda he was recently in lucknow to address a large gathering of ups traders industrial bodies and entrepreneurs organised by msmes prominent network laghu udyog bharti he said in contrast to states like gujarat and maharashtra which have focused on promoting businesses and manufacturing plants up has confined its political agenda only around caste equations and preferred community which is why it has not been able to focus on infrastructure and industrial development mandatory for economic progress laghu udyog bhartis up incharge argued that as per date released by dipp department of industrial policy and promotion in period januarydecember 2015 up received only about 37 of total investments proposed in india despite being countrys largest state while states like gujarat maharashtra and even chhattisgarh were earmarked over 1520 investments jaitley replied that the states which have development agenda always come for approval of manufacturing plants units and lands etc while up didnt show such initiative we cant attract big investors till the time we make up a business friendly state investors look for ease of doing business to start up a plant which includes his safety check on corruption and redtapism single window clearance of files and faster approval for lands etc unless up government ensures all these we cant blame it for lack of investments he said he said that peoples aspirations in state has touched such a low that even leaders here boast after building a road which is a basic ned for every society the roads are projected as luxury while its a need to give industries a boost bjp targeted to build 30 km of highway per day to be able to develop about 10000 kms of highway every year we have already reached the target of 22 kms per day he said that bjp is also promoting development of airports on ppp model to be able to give convenient rides to maximum people up just has 2 airports while it should have at least 12 airports to encourage investors to come he added