CM Yogi’s Uttar Pradesh Govt completes 8 years

Lucknow, Mar 24: As the Uttar Pradesh government completed eight years in office, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presented a comprehensive overview of the state’s progress at a press conference held at Lok Bhavan on Monday. The event featured the screening of a documentary titled “Ek Jhalak,” highlighting the administration’s achievements, along with the release of a special booklet documenting the state’s transformation.

Addressing the media, CM Yogi credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and the collective efforts of Uttar Pradesh’s 25 crore citizens for the state’s progress. He emphasised that while the geographical boundaries remain unchanged, the state’s image has undergone a complete overhaul in the past eight years. He asserted that Uttar Pradesh, once labelled a ‘BIMARU’ state, has now emerged as the growth engine of India’s economy, setting new benchmarks in security, governance, prosperity, and cultural preservation.

CM Yogi announced a three-day ‘Vikas Utsav’ from March 25 to 27 at all district headquarters, where farmers, youth, women, artisans, and entrepreneurs will be honoured and showcase the major development milestones achieved over the past decade.

Uttar Pradesh’s economic ascent was a focal point of the Chief Minister’s address. He stated that the state, now India’s second-largest economy, is well on its way to securing the top position. The administration’s farmer-centric policies have boosted agricultural productivity. Food grain production rose from 557 lakh metric tonnes in 2016-17 to 668 lakh metric tonnes in 2023-24, marking a 20% increase. Initiatives like the waiver of Rs 36,000 crore worth of loans for small and marginal farmers, along with enhanced irrigation projects, have reinforced the agricultural sector. The sugarcane industry, once plagued by unpaid dues and mill closures, has seen a revival. The government facilitated payments of Rs 2.80 lakh crore to sugarcane farmers, surpassing the total payments made in the previous 22 years. Ethanol production has also soared from 42 crore litters to 177 crore litters, reinforcing UP’s role in India’s biofuel economy.

Highlighting law and order as one of the government’s most significant achievements, CM Yogi recalled that prior to 2017, frequent riots, crime, and lawlessness plagued the state. He pointed to the Prayagraj Mahakumbh as a testament to improved governance, where despite a massive turnout, no major crimes were reported. The administration has increased police recruitment and infrastructure, adding 1,56,000 police personnel, restoring 54 disbanded PAC companies, and establishing cyber police stations across districts. Over 11 lakh CCTV cameras have been installed under the “Safe City” initiative.

Women safety and empowerment

The Chief Minister highlighted the government’s commitment to women’s safety, dignity, and self-reliance. The number of women in the police force has more than doubled since 2017, increasing their representation from 14% to over 35%. The BC Sakhi initiative has enabled banking services in 57,000 gram panchayats, and over one crore women have achieved financial independence through self-help groups (SHGs). Social welfare programs such as the Mass Marriage Scheme have facilitated 4.76 lakh weddings, with financial assistance per marriage increasing from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1,00,000. Ownership rights under the Svamitva Yojana have benefited one crore women, and hostels for working women are being constructed in six cities.

CM Yogi highlighted the significant decline in Uttar Pradesh’s unemployment rate, which has dropped from 19% in 2016-17 to just 3% today. Over the past eight years, more than 8 lakh government jobs have been created, and 2 crore youth have found employment in the MSME sector. The One District One Product (ODOP) scheme has boosted local industries, increasing exports from Rs 86,000 crore to over Rs 2 lakh crore.

Education reforms have brought transparency to exam processes and significantly improved school infrastructure. Higher education has also expanded, with ten new state universities and 21 private universities established in the past eight years.

In healthcare, the number of government medical colleges has risen from 12 to 80, with significant investments in nursing and paramedical education. Efforts to combat communicable diseases have led to an 85% reduction in encephalitis cases and a sharp decline in mortality rates from dengue and malaria. The state leads in Ayushman Bharat scheme implementation. Uttar Pradesh now boasts a rapidly expanding infrastructure network. Six expressways are currently operational, with 11 more under construction. The Ganga Expressway, once completed, will cement the state’s dominance in India’s expressway network. Metro rail systems, rapid transit corridors, and smart city projects have also reshaped urban development. Air connectivity has seen improvement, with the number of operational airports rising from two in 2017 to 16 today. The upcoming Noida International Airport at Jewar will further position UP as a key player in India’s aviation sector. Over 1.65 crore free electricity connections have been provided, and power generation capacity has surged from 6,000 MW to 33,000 MW. The upcoming 4,000 MW solar project in Bundelkhand is expected to drive Uttar Pradesh’s transition towards renewable energy.

Tourism has flourished under the Yogi administration, with annual visitor numbers rising from 21 crore before 2017 to 67 crore in 2023. Faith-based tourism, bolstered by improved infrastructure and security, has played a major role in this growth. CM Yogi emphasized that UP’s economy, valued at Rs 12.75 lakh crore in 2017, has more than doubled to Rs 27.5 lakh crore. Per capita income has also seen a sharp increase, and the state now leads in attracting project financing.

CM Yogi credited the state’s transformation to the collective spirit of teamwork, scale, skill, and speed. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustained development and economic growth, positioning Uttar Pradesh as a model of governance and prosperity in India.