Lucknow, July 10 -- Minister of state (Independent) for Excise and Prohibition Nitin Agarwal said a 'red carpet' and not 'red tape' invited investors in Uttar Pradesh. The minister added that the BJP government in the state had changed its image from a crime state to the most preferred investment destination.

Speaking at the first-of-its-kind Excise Investors Summit organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow on Wednesday, the minister said, "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji, the state has seen remarkable changes. The state has now become a top destination for investors and is a place where exports have doubled. It is a leader in infrastructure and ranks second in ease of doing business."

"The state has be...