Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath today completed consecutive eight years in office.
To mark the occasion, Yogi unveiled a comprehensive blueprint of the state’s development journey at a press conference in Lucknow.
A documentary titled ‘Ek Jhalak’ showcasing the achievements of the government over the past eight years was screened, and a special booklet released.
Addressing the media, he said with the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the collective efforts of 250 million citizens, UP is moving forward on the path of transforming from a ‘Shram Shakti Punj’ to an ‘Arth Shakti Punj’ of India.
He remarked not just UP, but the entire nation now acknowledges the state’s emerging identity in the areas of security, good governance, prosperity, and Sanatan culture.
UP, which once carried the tag of a ‘BIMARU’ state, has today emerged as the growth engine of the Indian economy,” he noted.
A three-day ‘Vikas Utsav’ will be celebrated at all district headquarters on March 25, 26, and 27 to to articulate information about myriad of development projects under the Yogi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in UP.
The CM stated that Modi has set a clear vision to make India a $5 trillion economy, and UP is playing a pivotal role in this mission.
“UP is currently the second-largest economy in the country and is poised to become number one soon,” he added.
One of the first major decisions of his government in 2017 was to waive loans of small and marginal farmers, worth Rs 36,000 crore.
As a result, food grain production increased from 55.7 million tonnes (MT) in 2016-17 to 66.8 MT in 2023-24, a 20 percent rise.
Over Rs 10 trillion has been transferred directly to beneficiaries in UP through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
UP has emerged as a leader in the production of paddy, wheat, pulses, and Shri Anna (millets), Yogi said.
Since 2017, Rs 2.8 trillion has been paid to UP sugarcane farmers — Rs 60,000 crore more than the total paid in the previous 22 years, he pointed out.
Ethanol production has also surged, growing from 420 million litres (ML) to 1,770 ML, he added.
Focusing on youth development, Yogi stated that the unemployment rate, which was 19 percent in 2016-17, has declined to just 3 percent today.
Over the past eight years, more than 800,000 government jobs have been provided, and over 20 million youth have been empowered through self-employment in the MSME sector.
Furthermore, 5 million youth have been made digitally enabled through the distribution of tablets and smartphones. With 9.6 million MSME units, Uttar Pradesh leads the country in this domain.
The One District One Product (ODOP) scheme has revitalized traditional industries and entrepreneurship, with exports rising from Rs 86,000 crore to over Rs 2 trillion crore.
Under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Yojana, the target is to create 100,000 new entrepreneurs by March 31.
Young entrepreneurs are being provided interest-free, collateral-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh. Artisans are also being supported through skill development and toolkits under the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana.
Presenting infra achievements, Yogi remarked that UP has undergone a dramatic transformation.
Currently, six expressways are operational in UP, and construction of 11 more is underway.
Upon completion of the Ganga Expressway, UP will account for 55 percent of the country’s expressway network.
UP also boasts the largest railway network and the highest number of operational metro systems in the country. India’s first rapid rail between Delhi and Meerut and the first waterway between Haldia and Varanasi also began in UP.
In 2017, only two airports were operational; today, the number has risen to 16 in UP, including four international airports.
The country’s largest airport at Jewar is also nearing completion, positioning UP as no longer a landlocked province.
Power generation has surged from 6,000 MW to 33,000 MW, with solar capacity rising from 228 MW to 2,653 MW. A 4,000 MW solar project in Bundelkhand is underway, aiming for 22,000 MW of green energy in five years.
Yogi highlighted UP’s industrial growth, noting its rise from 14th place in Ease of Doing Business before 2017 to a top achiever today.
With 33 sectoral policies and a seamless single-window system, over 500 NOCs are issued on one platform. Investment projects worth over ₹15 lakh crore have been grounded, cementing UP as a prime investment hub.
He highlighted tourism growth, noting a surge from 210 million annual tourists before 2017 to 670 million in 2023.
The Prayagraj Mahakumbh alone saw 670 million devotees. “Faith is now a powerful driver of economic growth, boosted by better connectivity, security, and facilities,” he observed.
Discussing fiscal management, the CM emphasised that over the past eight years, UP’s economy has been strengthened without placing any additional burden on the public or increasing taxes.
“We curbed corruption, stopped leakages, expanded income sources, and improved revenue generation. As a result, UP is now a revenue-surplus state,” he claimed.
He noted that UP’s economy, which was Rs 12.75 trillion in 2017, has more than doubled to Rs 27.5 trillion today.
Per capita income has also grown from Rs 46,000 to Rs 1,24,000.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which amounted to just Rs 3,300 crore during 2000-17, rose to Rs 14,808 crore during 2017-24.
The state’s banking business grew from Rs 12.30 trillion to Rs 29.66 trilion, while the Credit-Deposit (CD) ratio improved from 46 percent to 61 percent.
Citing an RBI report, CM Yogi stated that Uttar Pradesh leads the country with a 16.2 percent share in attracting funds for project financing.
Currently, 132 companies from UP are listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), with a collective market capitalisation exceeding Rs 3.68 trillion.
The number of factories in the state increased from around 13,000 in 2017 to over 26,900 today, demonstrating significant industrial growth.
Yogi concluded by stating that UP ranks first in the country in multiple sectors, including food grain, sugarcane, and potato production, ethanol output, ease of doing business, project financing, income tax returns, GeM portal procurement, skill development, MSME growth, PM Awas Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Svamitva Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana, and life and accident insurance schemes.