The dreams of the society come true when the leadership of the country is strong, determined and its vision is for public welfare. Today, when Narendra Modi has completed 12 years as Prime Minister and has left behind the tenure of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru among the elected Prime Ministers, it would be relevant to see his vision in the context of the development of Uttar Pradesh. Because this state belonged to Nehru and after him also to his daughter, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This is the state which Prime Minister Modi first saw as the biggest laboratory for the reconstruction of India and that is why this state always remained his priority.
today when Uttar Pradesh If India is moving towards becoming the second largest economy of the country, then we also have to consider why this did not happen earlier? Was there no such leadership in Uttar Pradesh earlier that could align itself with central policies? This is the point where the face of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath becomes visible as a Karmayogi along with the visionary PM Modi.
Uttar Pradesh, the cultural heart of the country
Uttar Pradesh is not just a state. It is the cultural heart of India, an inexhaustible source of manpower. There was no doubt in the mind of Prime Minister Modi that this state has the potential to become the economic axis of the country and if the plans are implemented here with utmost sincerity, then this can happen very easily. He took over the leadership of the country in 2014 and since then his vision is being reflected in policies, projects and priorities in Uttar Pradesh.
In 2017, Yogi government was formed in this state and it gave developmental commitment to the vision of PM Modi. Needless to say, when the central and state governments make efforts in the same direction, the results are not only positive, but public welfare also gets a true meaning. The three years before 2017 were under the leadership of PM Modi at the national level, but then there was Samajwadi Party government in the state. There is no hesitation in saying that the then Chief Minister did not give any importance to the schemes of the Centre. Even those schemes which were directly beneficial for the public.
Pro. Sanjay Singh Baghel
Status of Uttar Pradesh before 2017
This coordination between the planning of the Center and the implementation of the State is done with ease and sincerity, the results of which are not only expected but extraordinary. To know how it is, we will have to turn to the old pages. The situation in Uttar Pradesh will have to be considered before 2017. Mafia rule, caste violence, migration of industries, plight of farmers and lack of roads, this was the picture of the state at that time. Investors were hesitant to come here, talents fled from here and the common citizen lived under the shadow of insecurity. Prime Minister Modi’s vision was to rescue Uttar Pradesh from this situation. Chief Minister Yogi made it a mission. The rule of law was established, criminals were tightened and the state took a new breath. Security is the first condition for development, this principle was proved in practice here.
PM Modi made several visits to UP
Prime Minister Modi made dozens of visits to Uttar Pradesh in the last years and every time he dedicated a new project, a new possibility, a new resolution to this land. The inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor was a big emotional moment for him. When the Prime Minister dedicated this divine complex to the nation in December 2021, it was a re-establishment of India’s eternal soul, a civilizational renaissance. The consecration of Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January 2024, which was awaited for centuries. Today Ayodhya is developing as a modern pilgrimage city. Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, wide roads, newly constructed jetties, modern hotels and tourism infrastructure are all part of the overall vision in which faith and economy go hand in hand. Vrindavan, Mathura and Vindhyadham will also be kept in this category.
The revolution that has taken place in Uttar Pradesh on the infrastructure front is unprecedented and would not have been possible without the concept of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway, Ganga Expressway, these highways not only reduced the distances but also connected the neglected areas with the mainstream of development. While inaugurating the Purvanchal Expressway, Prime Minister Modi gave a clear message by landing the Air Force aircraft that this road is not only for traffic but also a strategic asset from the point of view of national security. Expansion of Lucknow Metro, launch of Kanpur Metro and Agra Metro, these projects established modern urban transport in the state. The establishment of AIIMS and other big medical institutions in Gorakhpur filled the void in the field of health services that had remained for years.
Three new international airports found
With the inspiration of PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh got three new international airports in the form of Kushinagar, Ayodhya and Noida (Jewar). Noida International Airport is moving towards becoming the largest airport in Asia. This single project will create millions of jobs and redefine the economic geography of the Delhi-NCR region. In the defense production sector, the Defense Corridor developing between Bundelkhand and Agra-Lucknow realizes PM Modi’s ‘self-reliant India’ concept on the soil of Uttar Pradesh. Data centres, textile parks, pharma clusters and food processing units are rapidly changing the industrial profile of Uttar Pradesh and at the center of this change is the trust that the Modi-Yogi duo has earned.
Many schemes that give meaning to Antyodaya cannot be forgotten on this occasion. Maximum 65 lakh beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are in Uttar Pradesh. Ujjwala Yojana freed about 2 crore mothers and sisters from smoke. Har Ghar Jal Yojana brought tap water to the doorstep of the village. Kisan Samman Nidhi is the strength of Annadata. The free ration scheme provides food security to about 15 crore families. All this became possible because the intentions of the Center and the machinery of the state are working in the same direction. This is the real soul of PM Modi’s vision.
UP will be given priority during PM Modi’s tenure
A deep truth is evident in this journey of 12 years of Prime Minister Modi. He made a map in which Uttar Pradesh was on priority, then CM Yogi engraved that map on the ground. During the Modi-Yogi period, the heartland of India has regained its lost glory. This journey of reconstruction of Uttar Pradesh is still going on and there is no doubt that many more chapters will be written in it.
(Professor Sanjay Singh Baghel is Professor and ICSSR Fellow at Delhi University. He is a well-known academician, media expert, corporate trainer and author, associated with several educational institutions, organizations and MNCs. He studied at Hindu College, Delhi University and Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai. He has been awarded the “Presidential Award” by the then President of India, Ramnath Kovind, for his writings in 2017.)
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