Lucknow, Dec. 9 -- Industry bodies have approached the state government for allotment of land on 594-km Ganga expressway before it becomes operational early next year as the Yogi government has announced plans to develop industrial clusters along the country's longest expressway which will pass through 12 Uttar Pradesh districts. State government agency UPEIDA is executing all expressway projects in the state. The Yogi government is developing 33 Integrated Manufacturing & Logistics Clusters (IMLCs) along five major expressways, including the Ganga Expressway, targeting districts like Meerut, Unnao, Prayagraj, and others. Priority sectors for the state government are pharma, textiles and plastic, with specific clusters in Unnao, Sambhal and Hardoi planned for immediate development. The Indian Industries Association (IIA), a body of micro, small and medium enterprises, has approached the state government to expedite the process of allotment of industrial plots along the Ganga Expressway. Dinesh Goyal, national president, IIA, has requested industrial development minister Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi' to look into the issue. According to UPEIDA officials, pharma parks, textile parks, plastic moulding units along with industrial units of other sectors will be established along the Ganga expressway. The Ganga expressway will traverse through 12 districts, including Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj. Most of the queries are for land in Meerut, Budaun and its adjoining areas. In a bid to strengthen economic cooperation with Japan, the 'Japan Desk' of Invest UP on Monday held a strategic meeting with the deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of India in Japan to invite Japanese entrepreneurs to invest in Uttar Pradesh. Invest UP additional CEO Shashank Chaudhary, who led the delegation, interacted with R. Madhu Sudan, the deputy chief of mission. During the interaction, Chaudhary outlined the ongoing outreach initiatives being undertaken to enhance investor confidence and position Uttar Pradesh as a preferred destination for Japanese industries. He highlighted the dedicated Japan Desk's active collaboration with key Japanese institutions, including the Yamanashi Prefectural Government, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), ICCJ (Indian Commerce and Culture in Japan / Indo-Japanese Chambers), KPIA (Kansai Pharmaceutical Industry Associations) and others. The additional CEO spoke about the growing interest of Japanese companies in sectors such as automobile and OEM manufacturing, electronics system design and manufacturing, renewable energy, green hydrogen, IT & ITeS and pharmaceuticals. He also shared progress on the proposed 'Japanese City' in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) region. It is envisioned as a dedicated 500-acre industrial and residential hub offering world-class infrastructure and seamless services exclusively for Japanese investors. During the meeting, Madhu Sudan appreciated the efforts of Invest UP and shared strategic guidance for enhancing engagements with Japanese stakeholders. He emphasised the importance of consistent follow-ups and sustained facilitation to maintain momentum in investment promotion....