UP saw more development in 8 years than in 70 years: CM Adityanath

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that his government has ensured more development of the state in the last eight years than achieved in 70 years before that.

He said that his government replaced the previous administration's policy of "one district, one mafia" with "one district, one medical college", transforming the lives of people across the state.

Speaking at an event in Gorakhpur, marking eight years of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state, Adityanath highlighted the state's progress since 2017.

He said similar programmes were being held across Uttar Pradesh to showcase the development initiatives and policy reforms undertaken in the last eight years.

"Earlier, the state lagged in development, youth struggled with an identity crisis, and unemployment and hunger drove people to despair. Women and traders felt unsafe. Today, Uttar Pradesh is self-reliantexecuting major development projects, making it one of the country's leading states," Adityanath said.

Before 2017, riots were frequent in the statethere was a mafia in every district. We eliminated these mafias and, instead of 'one district, one mafia,' we introduced 'one district, one medical college," he asserted.

Adityanath further said that the state, once avoided by investors, has now become a major hub for investment and tourism, he said.

Highlighting infrastructure development, he stated that the state now has the highest number of expressways in the country and improved interstate connectivity with Bihar and Jharkhand and also Nepal.

The state also has India's most extensive railway network, the highest number of metro rail cities, and the country's first island waterway, he said.

The CM also mentioned increased crop yields in his speech and said, Uttar Pradesh remains the top producer of food grains in the country."  He pointed out that before 2017, Uttar Pradesh lagged behind in 45 central government schemes, but it now ranks first or among the top two states in their implementation.

Speaking about Gorakhpur, he said the smart city has electric buses, CCTV-monitored traffic management and enhanced security for women and businesses.

The city also has a thriving fertiliser factory, improved infrastructure and road connectivity to Lucknow and Varanasi. Besides, Gorakhpur now has two new polytechnic institutes, 23 degree colleges, four new ITIs, and a veterinary college, he highlighted.

He also noted that two more universities have come up since 2017, taking their number to four and added that work was underway for one more varsity in the district.

A new Atal Residential School has been built at a cost of Rs 71 crore. The government has also distributed over 1.25 lakh free smartphones and tablets to students, he said.

Besides, he said, in the GIDA industrial area, companies such as Indian Glycols, Apollo Tubes, and CP Milk & Food Products have invested heavily, generating employment for over 50,000 youth.

A distillery worth Rs 1,200 crore is set to begin operations soon, while Varun Beverages and Tatva Plastics have invested Rs 1,071 crore and Rs 200 crore, respectively, he added.

CM Adityanath emphasised that his government has also focused on poverty eradication, housing and social welfare.

Over 56 lakh poor families have received housing, 15 crore people are benefiting from the free ration, and over one crore elderly, widows and disabled persons are receiving pensions, Adityanath said.

Under the 'Mukhyamantri Sumangala Yojana, 22 lakh girls have been supported, and nearly 4.5 lakh girls have benefited from the mass marriage scheme, which will soon offer Rs 1 lakh per beneficiary, he added.

The CM said that his government has also prioritised cultural and religious heritage conservation. Temples such as Budiya Mai, Tarkulha Devi, Mansarovar and Muktinath have been renovated, and major pilgrimage sites like Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura are witnessing unprecedented development, he declared.