With the announcement of the Yogi government about development of BIDA, the industrial potential of the Bundelkhand region is finally being recognised. The UP government cabinet approved the development of Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority in September 2023 and held its first meeting in January 2024. In this blog we will try to understand the important geographical, cultural and social factors of the Jhansi and nearby bundelkhand region that will favour industrial development at such a grand scale. 

Geographical Advantages 

Bundelkhand region falls in the confluence of two of the largest states in India - UP and MP. Geographically this place is mired with misfortune. The region is rocky and has a high percentage of barren land. The artificial interventions over the years have not yielded any satisfactory results in the Agriculture sector. 

But these disadvantages from agriculture prospects, can turn out to be advantages for setting up industrial hub in the region. 

Solar power 

This region has an immense potential to become the energy hub, thanks to the amount of solar radiation this region receives. According to official studies conducted by the government, Jhansi receives the second highest radiation in the country after Rajasthan. 

This fact is well received by the solar industry, as ahead of the Global Investors Summit in Lucknow, Jhansi had already received 17 proposals for solar power plants with a total proposed investment of around ₹77,821 crore. Currently, work is in progress for five plants.

Experts advise the suitable environment for power production and efforts by the government to attract investment in the region has provided a great boost to the possibility of making Jhansi an attractive destination for Solar Power production. 

Connectivity 

Jhansi has always been a well connected city. Due to this reason Jhansi has served as an army cantonment area since British times.  According to details on the website of Jhansi Hotel, the owner remembers, in the 1930’s Jhansi was selected over Gwalior, as a stopover for the air route between the UK and Australia. Flights were available on British Airways, Air France and KLM. This arrangement continued until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1936

Jhansi is a significant railway junction in India. It is at the intersection of  and several major railway lines pass through it. The major railway lines passing through Jhansi include the New Delhi-Mumbai CSMT line, the Agra-Bhopal section, the Delhi-Chennai line, the Jhansi-Kanpur section, the Jhansi-Manikpur-Prayagraj section, the Jhansi-Gwalior-Etawah section, and the Jhansi-Sawai Madhopur section (proposed)

Jhansi Junction is the primary railway station, with 15 originating trains, and it is a major halt for various important trains of Indian Railways, such as five sets of Rajdhani, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, etc. Additionally, there are various other trains that connect Jhansi to different parts of the country, such as the Shatabdi Express, Punjab Mail, Dadar Express, and many more

The extensive rail network and connectivity make Jhansi an important hub in the Indian railway map.

Socio- economical reasons 

Uttar Pradesh has after a long time witnessed a government which survived two consecutive terms. This has allowed them to plan and work on a long term project dedicatedly. 

Over the years the people of Jhansi lived with a sense of pride. Born and brought up in a rich historical backdrop provides them with much needed confidence to achieve success. If the policies and plans work toward shaping this sense to something tangible, the workforce of the region becomes an asset for the country which can in future represent India globally. 

Jhansi already has a substantial presence of small and medium scale enterprises in the region. Some popular names who are already manufacturing here are Baidyanath Ayurvedic Pvt. Ltd.,Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. Jhansi, Government Cotton Mills, Heidelberg Cement Factory etc. 

Jhansi can also attract skill labour from the nearby established cities of Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Indore to train the skill for the incubation. 

High return on investment 

Jhansi's urban functions are rapidly spreading, leading to a heavier city structure due to higher demographic growth and urbanisation. Jhansi is expected to soon outpace the average growth in the region and hence the average rate of return on investment has been constantly high for the investors. 

Sparse Population 

Bundelkhand region is still relatively sparsely populated to the adjoining regions of UP and MP. Harsh climatic conditions made it very difficult for primary sectors to flourish in this region and which in turn forced the work force to move out to seek livelihood. 

Due to relatively low density but having access to high density population from neighbouring areas of UP, MP, Rajasthan and Maharashtra puts Bundelkhand in a very sweet spot. It should not be an uphill struggle for the government to acquire lands. We have seen in the past how land availability becomes a limiting factor in projects of such scale. 

These are some of the main factors that are vital to augment the development process of the envisioned BIDA. We hope this blog could provide some valuable information.