Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has outlined an ambitious roadmap for 2026, focusing on large scale recruitment, big ticket infrastructure projects and measures to attract fresh investment. The initiatives are aimed at accelerating economic growth and improving public services across the state.
Employment generation takes centre stage with 1.5 lakh government jobs planned
A major thrust will be on employment generation. Officials said around 1.5 lakh government jobs are expected to be filled during the year across departments. The police department alone is set to recruit about 35,000 personnel, including constables and sub inspectors. Significant recruitment is also planned in the education, revenue, health and social welfare departments.
Infrastructure development will remain a key priority. The Noida International Airport at Jewar is expected to begin operations in 2026. Built over 3,300 acres with an investment of nearly ₹7,000 crore, the airport will start with one runway and is designed to expand up to five runways in future. At full scale, it is expected to handle around one crore passengers annually.
The long awaited Ganga Expressway is also slated for inauguration this year. The 594 km corridor will connect Meerut with Prayagraj, passing through a dozen districts. Officials said the project, built at a cost of over ₹36,000 crore, will significantly cut travel time and provide a boost to logistics, trade and industrial activity in central and western Uttar Pradesh.
Ground breaking ceremony to push ₹5 lakh crore projects into implementation stage
On the investment front, the government is preparing for its fifth ground breaking ceremony early in the year. Projects worth more than ₹5 lakh crore are expected to be taken to the implementation stage. Since 2018, four such ceremonies have been held, with officials claiming that projects worth over ₹15 lakh crore have already moved on ground, creating large scale employment opportunities.
The state is also considering hosting another Global Investors Summit in 2026, three years after the last edition that attracted investment proposals exceeding ₹35 lakh crore. Invest UP and the industrial development department have begun internal consultations to draw up a roadmap for the proposed summit.
To further improve ease of doing business, the government plans to roll out Nivesh Mitra 3.0, an upgraded version of its online single window clearance system. The new platform is expected to offer faster approvals and more transparency to investors.
Ayush hospitals to expand services with surgical procedures across the state
In the health sector, Ayush hospitals across the state are expected to start offering surgical services, including dozens of procedures. Officials said the move would reduce pressure on government allopathic hospitals and provide quicker access to treatment for patients.
The government is also tightening its regulatory framework to curb illegal trade in controlled medicines. Proposals include stricter monitoring of wholesale drug units through geo tagging and mandatory digital records of storage and sales.
Steps are being taken to strengthen the response to cyber crime as well. The capacity of the emergency and cyber crime call centres is set to be increased, with additional manpower to ensure quicker handling of complaints related to online fraud.
Kanpur–Lucknow Expressway to cut travel time to under an hour
Another key project nearing completion is the Kanpur Lucknow Expressway. Once operational, the 63 km stretch is expected to cut travel time between the two cities to under an hour, providing a faster link to the Lucknow airport and easing traffic on existing routes.
Officials said the combined impact of these measures is expected to reinforce Uttar Pradesh’s push towards becoming a preferred destination for investment while creating new employment opportunities and improving public infrastructure in 2026.
