Yogi : A Monk With a Difference

Uttar Pradesh, a state having largest population among all the states in India. Twenty two crore plus population equivalent to population of several countries of Europe, 2/3rd of USA, double the population of Maharashtra, 6 times the population of Kerala, 2.3 times the population of West Bengal. Leading such a big state with multiple challenges is not an easy job.
What turned a “Bimaru” state to a socio-economically progressive state?
Let’s see who pioneered it and what changes we are noticing in last 4 years of Yogi government.
When BJP won assembly elections in year 2017 with massive mandate, nobody thought that Yogi Adityanath would be given such a big responsibility. Many opposition leaders and journalists mocked the monk. The mindset of many Indians have been brainwashed over the years that monk cannot be a ruler or a leader, his work is to just sit in temple and worship.
UP was facing several socio-economic issues like weak economy, lowest per capita income, worst law and order, corruption, exploitation of businesspersons, poor people by Don (Mafia), land grabbing, hafta vassoli, poor industrial development, farmers issues especially sugarcane farmers. Electricity, health and education were also in turmoil.
Yogi Adityanath, a monk who was aware of all the issues of the state owing to his groundwork for several years in the state initialized actions with every ministry/department with firm control and planning. He surrendered himself for the betterment of 22 crore plus people with no leaves and little rest, working round the clock.
He has been criticized unfairly by media and opposition leaders however he believes in work with his slogan “Reform, Perform, Transform” so without getting perturbed, he is working for the state to make it to the top on socio-economic aspects. Few actions/achievements by Yogi Government,
• The state’s GSDP has gone up in the last four years from ₹10.9 lakh crore to ₹21.73 lakh crore, taking the state from the list of ‘Bimaru” states to second largest economy in the country.
• As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) report the unemployment rate in the state has fallen to 4.1 percent by February end this year against 17.5 percent in 2017.
• “Uttar Pradesh is ahead of other states in the country in enactment of forty four development schemes, this record of development has been accomplished when the world is fighting Corona crisis.
• It added that at least 21 new investment friendly schemes have been implemented in the state, including the establishment of Nivesh Mitra Portal, which has 227 facilities, resulting in Uttar Pradesh coming on the second position in Easy of Doing Business from the 14th spot in the country. UP has become the best place for investment in the country.
• It is thought provoking to see that for the last 73 years after independence; only 12 medical colleges existed in the state. Yogi government established seven new medical colleges and started MBBS courses in them in just three years. They also laid the foundation stone for eight new medical colleges. Along with this, they got the approval from the Modi government for the establishment of 13 new medical colleges. UP will soon get the services of 28 medical colleges. AIIMS are coming up in Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli as well.
• It is the result of the enhancement of health services and the activities under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan that the number of encephalitis patients, an epidemic in children since the past four decades, has decreased by 56 per cent and the number of deaths has fallen by 90 per cent. Encephalitis was a big concern as thousands of children used to die every year, I would say, this is the biggest achievement of Yogi Government.
• According to the 64 page document released by state government, the state has been on the top in the country in several essential things including implementation of Pradhanmantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, sugar and sugarcane production, construction of toilets (2.61 crore) for villages, plantation, establishment of MSMEs, providing government jobs and employment, establishment of women help desk at police stations, construction of expressways, construction of new medical colleges, Metro, Covid-19 tests and vaccination, free distribution of ration during Covid time and many more…
• Underdeveloped regions were given infrastructure development projects such as the Purvanchal Expressway (340.82 km), Bundelkhand Expressway (296.070 km) and Ganga Expressway (596.00 km). It is noteworthy that before 2017, only two cities in the state were connected to the air grid. Yogi government has added seven cities to the air grid in the past three years and is working on building 12 new airports.
• Modi government implemented MSP in 2018. Record purchase on MSP Rs 66000 crore has been transferred by DBT to farmers. UP stood second in sugar production in the country for the second time in a row. New units were added, leading to the expansion of capacity of the Munderwa, Pipraich and Ramala sugar mills. 1.27 lakh crore paid to sugarcane farmers in the past 4 years.
• Two-thirds of the state’s population has an agriculture-based income. The state government has implemented several schemes to achieve the goal of doubling farmers income by 2022. It is remarkable that fourteen new Krishi Vigyan Kendras have been established in the state. Six new science centres are planned. The minimum support price, which was an unbelievable dream during previous governments, has been implemented and farmers have been given benefits at the grassroots for pulses and oilseeds along with wheat and paddy. Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 12,000 have been sent directly to the accounts of farmers.
•Farmers’ loans worth Rs 36,000 crore have been waived.
•In Bundelkhand region, Yogi government have commenced a plethora of irrigation projects to benefit 50 lakh farmers by irrigation of 18 lakh hectares of additional land in this financial year. To highlight this point, Bansagar Irrigation Project, which was unresolved since decades was finished and dedicated to the farmers of the region. Projects like Arjun Sahayak, Bhavani and Bandai Dam projects and Saryu Canal, Madhya Ganga Canal, Uttar Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring etc. in the plains areas would further bring prosperity to the region. In Bundelkhand, more than 8,000 ponds have been built on private land under the ‘Khet Talab’ scheme. This year, 6,000 new local ponds will be built. The Aami River in Gorakhpur, the Odi River in Lalitpur, the Gomti River in Ayodhya and Ganda river in Pilibhit have been invigorated.

•No riots in the state in past 4 years so the oppositions pretended anxiety of riots has gone for a toss. The actions of Yogi Government on those who break law and order have set the new standard and are taken optimistically nationwide. Today the perception of the state has changed. The places that should have been “safe zones” were the “safari zones” of criminals. Yogi government tried hard to bring the law and order back on track. As a result, today either the criminals are absconding the state or in the jail.
• For better policing, 41 new police stations and 13 new check posts were established in the state and 1.37 lakh police personnel were recruited. The police station has undergone an infrastructural change, 59 police station, four women stations; 16-cybercrime station has been established in the state. Yogi government is working towards setting forensic labs in 18 ranges. Zero tolerance for crime. 66% drop in dacoit cases, 45% drop in RAPE cases, and 19% drop in murder cases. Exceptional emphasis is given on women’s security. The state government had adopted zero tolerance towards criminals and Mafiosi, and their illegally accumulated assets worth about ₹1,000 crore have been demolished or confiscated.
• 4 lakh youths got government jobs in a fair, transparent manner.
• Yogi government tackled the corona crisis and created huge employment. Even World Health Organisation appreciated the TTT (Tracing, Testing and Treatment) formula resulted in less number of cases.
• As many as 45,383 teachers have been recruited and the recruitment of 69,000 teachers is in the last phase. Similarly, 55 new government inter colleges have also been approved in secondary education. This, the process to set up Atal Residential Schools have been not only expedited in every Circle Headquarters in order to spread the light of knowledge in the lives of children of labourers and deprived.
These are few achievements mentioned above, point is, such a hardworking, putting efforts to secure every individual in the state and development oriented CM, should be appreciated and supported to take UP to the new heights which will help our nation to grow with higher pace.