Taking a pledge to spare nothing for the sustained development of the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that the future belongs to Uttar Pradesh and its people. At the same time, Union Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh praised CM Yogi and said that the heartbeat of criminals stops in the state on hearing Yogi’s name.

“By becoming a 1 trillion dollar economy,Uttar Pradesh will fulfill the resolve of the Prime Minister and I believe that the state is moving fast in that direction. The coming time is of Uttar Pradesh and its people” said Yogi Adityanath while launching 180 development projects worth over Rs 1,710 crore in Uttar Pradesh with Rajnath Singh.

Rajnath Singh inaugurated 90 projects and laid foundation stones of 90 other projects at a function here in Lucknow. “If CM Yogi Adityanath was not there, I could not have done so much development work for Lucknow. No praise would be enough for the pace of development work done in the state under CM Yogi,” Rajnath Singh said.

During the inauguration function, CM Yogi said that after Rajnath Singh left the post of Chief Minister in 2003, the faith was humiliated. Despite being the most populous state, UP was the sixth largest economy in the country.

“Law and order situation was so bad that investors ran away from UP. There was no vision for development, there was no respect for people’s aspirations. On an average, there was a riot every third day from 2012 to 2017. This state was engulfed in chaos, riots, corruption and hooliganism,” CM said.

CM Yogi further said that the projects whose foundations have been laid today or have been inaugurated, is a display of changing state and changing Lucknow.

“It is only through these development projects that a comprehensive change is being made in the life of the common people and a new direction can be given to their lives,”said CM Yogi.

CM mentioned that Uttar Pradesh is now the second best state in terms of ease of doing business under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as compared to its 12th-14th position that was four years ago.

“During the Covid period when investors were fleeing from China, amidst competition on the global stage, investors chose India and Uttar Pradesh became their first choice within India. The Samsung Display unit of Rs 5000 crore alone was located here. North India’s largest data center is being established here.

CM Yogi further said that an investment of Rs 66,000 crore came in UP during Corona.”Today a network of expressways is being laid in UP, interstate routes are getting 4 lanes. Besides the state universities of Saharanpur, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Law University at Prayagraj, Sports University at Meerut, Atal Medical University at Lucknow and AYUSH University at Gorakhpur are being established”.

*Amazing combination of “Modi-Yogi”: Rajnath*

Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath Singh said that God had made an amazing combination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and CM Yogi in UP. “The welfare schemes started by the PM in Centre and CM Yogi in UP are no small feat,” Singh said.

Heaping praises for the law and order situation in UP, Rajnath said that the heart beat of criminals stops if they hear Yogi’s name. “Anyone may say anything but there should be strictness against criminals. They cannot be spared,” Singh said.

Lauding the efforts of CM Yogi in containing the Covid-19 pandemic and appreciating the gesture of the CM to offer financial help for children who were orphaned due to the pandemic, he said “only a CM who is sensitive can take such a step. This gesture of CM Yogi has touched my heart.”

Inaugurating 180 projects of Public Works, Health, Rajya Setu Nigam, Irrigation and Water Resources, Vocational Education, Municipal Corporation, AMRUT Yojana, Smart City and LDA, Defence Minister said that when Victoria Street of Lucknow was built in the 18th century, it was the widest road of its time, people even called it wasteful. Today its condition is bad, but now that the over bridge has been built here, then around 50 lakh people of the capital will have great traffic convenience.

Referring to the Outer Ring Road that is under construction, he said this Eight-lane road would be inaugurated by October next year. Rajnath also talked about the need for a planned effort for smooth traffic in Lucknow.

Singh also appealed to the Chief Minister that all posters and hoardings in Lucknow must have a picture of the former Lucknow MP and PM, the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Deputy Chief Ministers Dr. Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya also expressed their views in the program.