Clinton to visit 'City of Nawabs'

Bill Clinton arrival on the City of Nawabs on Wednesday is just not a one-off visit; it can have an everlasting impact on the state of Uttar Pradesh that is desperately looking to become "Uttam Pradesh" (prosperous). Clinton will be in Lucknow on September 7 to inaugurate the State Rural Health Mission.

Though it is his sixth visit to India, but it is for the first time he will be on Lucknow. And State government is doing whatever they can to make this a gala affair. The security personnel of former US President have already arrived in the city and having a closed eye on every security arrangements.

According to Principal Secretary Alok Sinha, Clinton will be arriving in a private aircraft of Clinton Foundation, on Wednesday morning and the same day he will leave in the evening.

During his visit, there will be star galore. The guest list of the privileged VVIPs from across the country - who are going to make there presence felt at the exclusive gala dinner to be hosted by the UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav , includes the likes Reliance Infocomm chief Anil Ambani, actor Amitabh Bachchan, and media personalities like Arun Poorie, MJ Akbar.

But Lucknowites are going to disappoint the former US President Bill Clinton on one count. Before planning a maiden trip to the capital of the most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh, Clinton had conveyed a message to the UP Chief Minister’s office, forwarding a demand for a mango-based dessert in the menu.

Unfortunately, the UP government (despite having a huge export of Nawab brand mangoes this year) had to express its helplessness in obliging the connoisseur’s taste buds. ‘‘We said sorry as the season of mangoes is over,’’ said an official from the Chief Minister’s office.

About half-a-dozen arches have been errected between the Chief Minister’s 5 Kalidas Marg residence and the hotel to welcome Clinton. Besides pictures of Clinton, these also display pictures of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his aide Amar Singh. Hoardings have also been put up at strategic points.

However, the authorities seem to be caught in a time warp. Long after his presidential tenure got over, most of these welcome arches and hoardings still identify Clinton as the US President.

But what is more important is the impetus this one-day visit going to give to the laid back Uttar Pradesh. According to experts, this one- off visit can help the state in the revival of its industrial fortune. This visit also assumes significance as it provides Uttar Pradesh an opportunity to attract off-shore investments. The UP Development Council (UPDC) bosses are banking on this line of hope.
In his brief sojourn in Lucknow, Clinton is slated to have a tete-a-tete with Mr Yadav and UPDC boss Amar Singh.

Since Mr Clinton will be accompanied by top US industrialists, Mr Amar Singh wants to make the most of the visit. He plans to showcase what Uttar Pradesh has to offer to foreign investors and invite them to set up shop in this State.

Touted as one of the backward states, Uttar Pradesh figures as the second most "affable" State for investors as per a survey carried out by Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum (IEM).

Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a favored destination for major business and industrial houses both within the country and outside. During its two-year stint, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav's Government has attracted investments worth Rs 40,000 crore.

Anil Ambani's Reliance Energy is setting up a gas-based power generation plant in Dadri, Kumar Mangalam Birla has agreed to invest in Roza thermal power plant while the State's own Sahara group is setting up housing colonies. Uttar Pradesh is expecting investments from a Brazil-based brewery that manufactures beer from potato.

But all is not well, According to rough official estimates; the entire arrangements cost the cash-strapped Mulayam government about Rs 5 crore. Also, the State Government, which is facing an acute power shortage, will be spending Rs 3,000 per hour on electricity just for entertaining Clinton at the CM’s residence for which the Shiamak Davar group has been roped in. The tent put up for the show alone will cost around Rs 1 crore.
Around two hundred safai karmacharis in the Gomti Nagar area have been working on war footing since Sunday to spruce up the area. Clinton’s cavalcade will take this route to the Taj Residency, the city’s only five-star hotel where he is putting up.