LUCKNOW, Sept. 23 -- The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday said it will launch a project dedicated to 28 districts of the Purvanchal region to transform the local resources into opportunities for investment, employment, entrepreneurship and exports. The UP Enabling District-Led Economic Growth (UP-EDGE) project, to be launched with the support of the World Bank, will accelerate economic activities in the Purvanchal region while also strengthening the local administration. A meeting was held between chief minister Yogi Adityanath and World Bank officials on Tuesday, during which various proposed components of the project, including sending the preliminary project report (PPR) to the Government of India, were discussed, the state government said in a statement. Proposed with WB support, the Rs.2,500-crore project will run for five years and cover 28 districts of Purvanchal, with the possibility of including seven Bundelkhand districts as well. Officials said that Purvanchal accounts for nearly 40% of the state's population, but contributes only 27.6% to the state's GDP. "Purvanchal has immense development potential. Action plans for major investment projects should be prepared district wise. This will create new opportunities for employment and income at local level and provide fresh momentum to the region's economy," the chief minister said. htc...