Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today flayed Opposition for criticising his government over farm loan-waiver, alleging rival parties had "embezzled" fund when in power, but his government has saved it and utilising the same for benefiting debt-ridden farmers.
He claimed the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party had been involving in corruption and the BJP has brought that to an end.
"By bringing to an end their sins, we have been able to raise Rs 36,000 crore," he said at a function where he distributed certificates of loan-waiver to farmers.
In its first budget presented in July, the Adityanath government had made a special provision of Rs 36,000 crore to honour BJP's poll promise of a farm-loan waiver.
"We have been able to mobilise the funds simply by plugging the leakages. The money that used to be siphoned off while the state was ruled by Congress, SP and BSP, we are putting to use for the welfare of farmers," he said.
The CM gave away certificates of loan-waiver to 11,500 farmers. According to state government figures, 80,768 beneficiaries of the loan-waiver scheme are from the district.
The remaining debt-ridden farmers will be given the relief at a later stage.
He also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's defence and foreign policy.
"Until recently, as late as 2013, even Pakistan had been showing the audacity of sneaking in several kilometres inside our territory and killing our soldiers. But today, even China withdraws its troops after a three-month-long standoff."
Lashing out at the opposition also for criticising the Modi government, the senior BJP leader said, "Those who have always traded the nation's pride for their pursuit of power, are today talking about vikas, samman, suraksha (development, honour, security)".
The UP CM also laid foundation stones for 34 schemes worth Rs 510 crore for the Ardh Kumbh mela which will be held here in 2019.
"We have prepared schemes involving a total expenditure of Rs 2,500 crore for the Kumbh festivities. Today we have launched just the first phase," he said.
"We are also setting up a Prayagraj Mela Pradhikaran (authority) which will supervise the annual Magh Mela, the Ardh Kumbh held every six years and the 12-yearly Maha Kumbh congregations," he added.
Besides Yogi, others were present at the function were Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, Urban Development Minister Suresh Khanna and local MP Shyama Charan Gupta.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)