Terming the picture of development of Uttar Pradesh as "fantastic", Ratan Tata also assured that he will extend full support in the development of the state in future. (Press Trust of India file photo)
Impressed with the pace of progress in Uttar Pradesh,
business doyen Ratan Tata today assured full support to the state for its industrial development.
"The development which has taken place in Uttar Pradesh or which is on the cards that I have come to know in my meeting with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav ... I can only say that I am very much impressed," said Mr Ratan Tata, chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.
Terming the picture of development of the state as "fantastic", Mr Ratan Tata also assured that he will extend full support in the development of the state in future.
He was speaking in Unnao during the foundation laying function of Shahid Chandrashekhar Azad handicapped sports academy to be set up by Padma Shri Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to have climbed Mount Everest.
Speaking on the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, recalling Ms Arunima Sinha's struggle, said, "when she met with the accident (in which she lost her left leg) I was the state unit president of the Samajwadi Party and on coming to know about it I had also gone to the hospital to meet her."
"She had later met me in the Janata Darbar and on my question as to where will she go she had replied that she will go to Mt Everest. I could not believe that she will scale it," Mr Akhilesh Yadav recalled.
He also said that he had asked Ms Arunima Sinha to set up her special sports academy in the capital city of Lucknow but she chose the adjoining district of Unnao for her project.
However, the chief minister assured all possible support to the academy.
He added that despite the state having a large number of poor people, balanced development is taking place here.
On the occasion, Ms Arunima Sinha said that during treatment when she lost her leg in a train mishap in 2011, a resident of Bethar village, Umashankar Dixit, had promised her land and other facilities for setting up the academy and so despite the chief minister's desire she opted for Unnao.
She said that in case the government extended facilities, one branch of her academy will be set up in Lucknow also.