Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said Uttar Pradesh will emerge as a prosperous state in the next three years by eradicating poverty and his government will make the state's economy number one in the country.
Addressing an event here, he attacked previous governments, saying they encouraged "one district, one mafia" while the BJP dispensation replaced it with "one district, one medical college".
Adityanath thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in Parliament, claiming it would put a check on the "loot" being carried out in the name of the Waqf board.
The Uttar Pradesh chief minister was in Maharajganj for the inauguration of the Rohin Barrage. He also laid the foundation stones of and inaugurated 629 developmental projects worth Rs 654 crore, according to the state government.
"In the next three years, Uttar Pradesh will be established as a prosperous state by eradicating poverty. We will make Uttar Pradesh the number one economy in the country by achieving the target of zero poverty," he said.
Adityanath stressed that in "new India", development works are carried out without discrimination. "Under the leadership of PM Modi, people are witnessing the emergence of a new India," he added.
"Uttar Pradesh is no longer a BIMARU state. Maharajganj is no longer a backward district," he asserted.
The acronym 'BIMARU' (meaning sick) was coined in the mid-1980s from the first letters of names of some of the country's then poorest states -- Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The chief minister emphasized the significant progress Uttar Pradesh has made in the past eight years, stating, "In 2017, the state was the seventh largest economy in the country. But now, it is the second largest."
"Earlier governments used to encourage 'one district, one mafia'. We have replaced their mafia with 'one district, one medical college'," Adityanath told the gathering.
Targeting the previous governments in the state, he claimed that they did not have time to undertake development as they were engaged in land loot.
"The day before yesterday, the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Now no one can loot land in the name of Waqf Board... Now, the land which belongs to the revenue department will be used in building hospitals, schools, medical colleges, barrages and houses for the poor," the chief minister said.
He claimed that in the past lakhs of acres of land were grabbed by falsely terming those as "Waqf property". "That did not benefit any poor person. It had become a medium of loot for a handful of people. Now, this loot will be controlled."
On the occasion of Ashtami during Vasantik Navratra, Adityanath paid his respects to Maa Banailiya Devi here and highlighted that he was privileged to inaugurate the barrage, which, he said, would irrigate over 5,400 hectares of land, benefitting 16,000 farmers.
The chief minister announced that the barrage would be named after Maa Banailiya Dev.
Referring to key projects such as the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as well as hosting the Maha Kumbh, Adityanath highlighted the unique blend of development and heritage in the state.
About the Saryu Canal Project, he claimed that although it was initiated in 1972, it took 49 years to finish and that too, under the BJP's rule.
The chief minister claimed that before 2017, festivals were marked by fear, but now the riots have stopped. Adityanath was elected chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017.
He noted that Maharajganj leads the state in the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana, with 1,000 youths receiving interest-free loans.
The district administration will focus on promoting Kala Namak rice, Shrianna, natural farming, dairy, and fisheries.
Reflecting on India's economic progress, the chief minister shared that 10 years ago, India was the 11th largest economy in the world. "Under PM Modi's leadership, today we have become the fifth largest economy, and within the next two years, India will be the third-largest economic superpower."
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Uttar Pradesh's Jal Shakti minister Swatantradev Singh, AYUSH minister Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu and legislators were among those who attended the event.
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