LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the schemes formulated by a government for short-term goals can neither benefit the state nor the ruling party.
Speaking on the floor of the UP assembly while replying to the budget tabled by the state government, Yogi Adityanath said, “The budget envisions a long-term roadmap for development. This will not only push the state to greater heights but will also help prepare the party (BJP) to rule the state for long. The budget is focused on self-reliance and ensures ease of living while maintaining the much needed fiscal discipline.”
He said the state was affected in terms of revenue due to the pandemic but the government managed to take its scheduled programmes ahead and create jobs for pandemic-hit migrants.
Expedited long pending projects, increased quantum of export: CM
Launching a veiled attack on the previous Samajwadi Party government, he said it had short-sighted approach with no ‘Bharatiya drishtikon’ (Indian perspective) while making budgetary provisions for development schemes.
He said the budgets presented by the previous government did not cater to the ‘bhaav’ (sentiments) of the people
and long-term vision for development. The CM said his government always considered UP as a land of possibilities. “Even during pandemic, the state government managed to create jobs for migrants who came back to the state during lockdown. Their contribution is now strengthening the state economy,” he said. Quoting the famous Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Yogi said: “Vipatti jab aati hai… kayar ko hi dahlati hai… soorma nahi vichlit hote kshan ek nahi dheeraj khote.”
The CM cited how the state budget was appreciated nationally by CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM and PHDCCI. “They have nothing to do with politics. Their response shows that the government is working in the right direction with the right intention,” he said.
Yogi added that projects which could not materialize for years were fast-tracked in last four years. “The quantum of export has increased and traditional industry has revived. There are new possibilities for employment and growth,” he said.
“The budget for the state, otherwise, has been insignificant compared to the size of the state. For this, the government will have to raise its income,” he said, stressing on plugging financial leakages and unnecessary expenditure.
“UP was at 14th position in ease of doing business in 2015-16 and today it is on the second position. The state’s economy was on the 5th position in 2015-16…the economy is now becoming second biggest in the country,” he said. “It is the same machinery, only the face of the government has changed. We have just changed the style of working,” he said, adding that the state gross domestic product doubled in last four years. “Wait for 2022 when we return to power and make UP the biggest economy in the country,” Yogi said, amid applause from treasury benches. He said earlier the state used to see exodus of people even as the per capita income (PCI) remained low.
“PCI has increased from Rs 45,000 per annum in 2015-16 to Rs 95,000 at present… this is the change,” the CM said.
Yogi added that it was unfortunate that the previous governments at the Centre and in state did not consider the concept of ease of living. “It was only after PM Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 that the government decided to cater to the poor and make shelter available for them by 2022,” he said, pointing out that 40 lakh people got a house under PM Awas Yojana in the state in last four years.
He said the government would come up with a scheme to provide drinking water in 30,000 revenue villages.