VARANASI: Putting to rest all speculations about leadership change in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2022 assembly elections and rumours of differences between him and the UP CM, PM Narendra Modi heaped praise on CM Yogi Adityanath, not once, but at least six times during his 30-minute long public address on Thursday.
In Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, the PM unveiled and laid the foundation of 283 development projects/works worth Rs 1,583 crore.
Addressing a gathering, after unveiling the projects/works with a single click in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) premises, the two-time Lok Sabha member from the ancient city, praised the leadership of UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
“Listing the development of Varanasi and the entire UP cannot be done in such a short time. I need more time at my disposal for it as the list is so long. This is the result of the dynamic leadership of Yogiji and the work loyalty of the government led by him.”
“The people of Varanasi know very well about Yogiji's commitment to development as they often see him personally reviewing every development project. He religiously invests his own energy to render pace to development works/projects, not only in Varanasi but across the state. He keeps on travelling to every district to ensure that development’s pace isn’t compromised,” the PM said.
“Unlike the governments of the past which ran on bhrashtachar (corruption) and bhai bhatijawad (nepotism), the present government in the state is running with Vikasvaad (commitment to development). Owing to this the benefits of all government schemes are being delivered to the people.”
While slamming the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in UP, the PM said, “It’s not that the central government wasn’t making efforts to develop UP before 2017. We got the mandate to serve the country in 2014. Then also similar efforts were being made from Delhi and funds being released for UP’s development, but those development works were then being blocked in Lucknow.”
“Not only has the government led by Yogiji established rule of law through crackdown against the mafia and terrorists, but the state government’s deep focus on infrastructure, road and highways development, best exemplified by various Expressway projects as well as the Defence Corridor project has made UP the most preferred destination for investors under the Make in India initiative,” the PM said.
Modi started his speech in Bhojpuri and lauded Varanasi and UP’s efforts in fighting the Covid pandemic. “Even at midnight, when I used to ring Varanasi to know about the situation during the pandemic’s second wave, I got to know that authorities were fighting the pandemic on a war footing. Not only Varanasi, but the entire UP has combated and checked the second wave with exemplary zeal. The country’s most populated state is a leader in the country in Covid testing and vaccination.”
Earlier, the PM (who visited Varanasi for the first time since the festival of Dev Deepawali in November 2020), unveiled 78 development projects/works and laid the foundation of 205 new development projects/works in the presence of UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the state’s Governor Anandiben Patel.
The most notable project which was unveiled by the PM on Thursday was Rs 186-crore Rudraksha International Convention Centre, which has been developed in close cooperation with Japan. It is being seen among a series of efforts by PM Modi to transform Kashi (Varanasi) to Kyoto.
The list of important development projects unveiled by PM Modi
List of projects whose foundation was laid