UP transformed from struggling state to economic powerhouse in 8 yrs: CM

The state's agricultural growth rate, which was around 5 per cent in 2016-17, has now risen to over 13.5 per cent, CM Adityanath said

Uttar Pradesh, once considered a laggard state, has now become India's engine of economic progress, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow to mark eight years of the National Democratic Alliance government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, he credited "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies of service, security and good governance" for the state's progress.

Adityanath recalled that before 2017, Uttar Pradesh was categorised among India's lagging regions, or the 'BIMARU' states.

However, in the last eight years, it has emerged as the driving force of the nation's economy, leading across multiple sectors, he emphasised.

The chief minister said that before 2017, agriculture was completely neglected in Uttar Pradesh. Farmers had been struggling, and the sector was on a decline. Reforms under the "double-engine government" changed the situation significantly, he said.

The state's agricultural growth rate, which was around 5 per cent in 2016-17, has now risen to over 13.5 per cent, he said.

Adityanath pointed out that the state's economic turnaround began with the first cabinet decision of his government, which waived farmers' loans worth Rs 36,000 crore.

As a result, food grain production, which stood at 557 lakh metric tonnes in 2016-17, increased to over 668 lakh metric tonnes last year, rising nearly 20 per cent, he said. 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also accused the state's previous governments of deliberately weakening law enforcement, claiming they had disbanded the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) to give rioters a free hand.

He highlighted a marked improvement in police response times to distress calls under his administration and said the BJP-led NDA government in the state has undertaken large-scale recruitment to address long-standing vacancies in the police force.

"Those who encouraged lawlessness in the past allowed criminals to flourish. We revived the PAC and also raised three battalions of women personnel to restore order," he said at the presser held to mark eight years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Uttar Pradesh.

"Before 2017, the average response time for UP 112 distress calls was 25 minutes and 42 seconds. Today, it has come down to seven minutes and 24 seconds, ensuring swift action and public safety," Adityanath said.

About recruitment in the police force, he said, "When we took charge, over 1.5 lakh positions in the police department were vacant, creating doubts among the public and the judiciary about the government's intentions. We have since recruited 1.56 lakh personnel, and an additional 60,200 officers are set to complete their training soon."  According to the chief minister, these reforms have led to a drastic improvement in law and order. "Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh faced a law-and-order crisis, and young people struggled with an identity crisis," he said, adding that systematic policing reforms had restored confidence in the state's governance.

Citing the Maha Kumbh as an example of effective law enforcement, the chief minister noted that the 45-day-long religious gathering saw no incidents of crime, looting, harassment, or kidnappings.

"Over 66 crore devotees attended, and not a single person felt unsafe. This is what a government committed to law and order can achieve," he said.