Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that a similar spirit of collective responsibility and national spirit witnessed during the COVID pandemic is needed now that the country faces the heat of crisis in West Asia.
The crisis could impact fuel, food, and fertiliser supplies, and every citizen should contribute to strengthening the country's self-reliance mission by adopting alternatives such as public transport and renewable energy, he said.
Adityanath made the remarks while addressing the '9 Defining Years of Transforming UP' conclave, hosted by a prominent English daily here on Thursday. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's austerity appeal, the chief minister called for adopting renewable and alternative energy sources, carpooling, metro services, electric vehicles, and shuttle bus systems.
He also spoke about developing community kitchen models based on biogas plants in rural areas through more than 7,700 cow shelters currently protecting over 1.5 million cattle, thereby reducing dependence on LPG. National interest must remain paramount in times of crisis, he stressed. "If the nation survives, all of us survive. If the state remains secure, all of us remain secure. If the country prospers, we too move toward prosperity," he said.
Describing the situation before 2017, the year he came to power, the chief minister said Uttar Pradesh was a 'Prashn Pradesh' as young people faced an identity crisis.
"Nepotism, corruption, and administrative indifference were at their peak. There was no proper system for electricity, roads, irrigation, or markets, while traditional industries were shutting down. Amid this atmosphere of despair and disorder, the people blessed the double-engine government under Prime Minister Modi's leadership in 2017.
"The state treasury was empty, and there was not even enough money to pay salaries, but the government adopted a clear policy: no nepotism, no regionalism, and no dynastic politics," Adityanath said.
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The chief minister claimed that development in the state is no longer limited to Lucknow, Varanasi, or Gorakhpur and is uniform across all 75 districts and 58,000 gram panchayats. He said UP accounts for 60 per cent of the country's expressway network with the completion of the Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, and Ganga Expressways. India's largest airport at Jewar (Noida) is ready, with flight operations beginning from June 15, he noted.
Adityanath said that the country's first rapid rail service is operating between Delhi and Meerut, agricultural growth has increased from 8 per cent to 18 per cent, while farmers are receiving free irrigation, improved seeds, technology, and market access. He claimed 92 per cent of sugarcane dues have been paid, while sugar mills have moved from losses to profitability. "When governments sleep, inspector raj prevails," he remarked.
Today, however, 9.6 million MSME units are actively functioning in the state, employing nearly 30 million people, he said, adding, UP now has a 75,000-acre land bank. "Now we have policy, intent, and the determination to move forward," the chief minister said, terming the state India's most attractive investment destination.
"Uttar Pradesh is among the states that have classified cheating and paper leaks as cognisable offences, with provisions for life imprisonment and confiscation of the guilty person's property," he remarked. Terming the Maha Kumbh a success, he said that 66-67 crore devotees visited the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj for a holy dip, while Uttar Pradesh received a total of 1.56 billion tourists throughout the year.
He said that per capita income in the state has tripled from Rs 43,000 in 2017 to more than Rs 1,20,000, and the annual state budget, which was around Rs 2.5 lakh crore earlier, has increased to Rs 9.12 lakh crore. The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has risen from Rs 12 lakh crore to Rs 36 lakh crore, with no new taxes introduced, he said.
