Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that there has been growth in infrastructure on land, water and air in the state. He informed that Uttar Pradesh is soon going to become the first state with 21 airports.

Speaking of the infrastructural development done in the state in the House on Wednesday, Chief Minister said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ground Breaking Ceremony in Lucknow on February 19. During this period, an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore will be brought to the ground.”

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He also mentioned a report published in a leading English newspaper, stating that in the Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu, more than two lakh people from Uttar Pradesh were working. However, in the last seven years, 60,000 of them have returned to UP because they found employment here.

The CM informed that after Purvanchal Expressway and Bundelkhand Expressway, Gorakhpur Link Expressway is going to be started. The Ballia Link Expressway is also under construction. Chitrakoot Link Expressway is in the process of being built. Before the Prayagraj Mahakumbh, the government is making efforts to start the Ganga Expressway.

He mentioned that with the support of the Indian government, the Lucknow-Kanpur Link Expressway and Ballia Link Expressway are being constructed. In the last seven years, 1235 four-lane projects have been taken forward in various districts of the state.

“In 2017, two airports in the state, Varanasi and Lucknow, were fully operational. Today, there are 10 operational airports, providing air services to more than 75 destinations with 150 flights. From 2016-17 to 2023, there has been a 100-fold increase in the number of air travelers,” he said.

An Inland Waterway Authority has been created for connectivity in the perennial rivers here. Under this, the construction of a multi-modal terminal in Varanasi district has been completed. Currently, we have the largest rail network, Yogi added.

CM Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh has now become a business hub and a dream destination for investment. When the law and order is good, and the government’s intentions are clear, investments are bound to flow into the state, he remarked.

Investors from the country and the world want to come for investment and the GIS 2023 is the best example of this, with proposals for investment of nearly Rs 40 lakh crore, he said.

He said that on the upcoming February 19, Ground Breaking Ceremony for a proposal of Rs 10 lakh crore is going to be held, which will create plenty of employment opportunities.

CM Yogi said that all this has been possible because UP has strong law and order, ease of doing business, investment-friendly policies, a single-window system, and responsive and transparent policies.

Describing the energy sector, the Chief Minister said that in 2016-17, the total power generation capacity in the state was 5600 MW. Presently, the total production capacity has reached 8688 MW.

“By the end of this year, we aim to achieve an electricity production capacity of 12800 MW. Until 2017, electricity supply reached a total of 128,494 Majras (villages). Last year, electricity supply reached up to 249,818 Majras, which means 100 percent of the Majras have been electrified”, he informed.

“From 2012-17, approximately 8.44 lakh electrification projects were completed, and from 2017 to now, 1 crore 65 lakh electrification projects have been completed, which is more than 20 times during the Samajwadi Party’s term,” he said.

Before 2017, there was no knowledge of electricity availability. Since 2017, electricity supply in rural areas is continuous for 18 hours, in tehsil headquarters for 21 to 22 hours, and in district headquarters for 24 hours, he added.

The Chief Minister said that speaking about solar energy, until 2017, a total installed capacity of 288 MW of solar energy projects was in place, which has now increased to 2596 MW. This means that in the last approximately 7 years, there has been a tenfold increase in solar energy-based electricity projects.

He said that Ayodhya and Kashi are being developed as Solar Cities, and the Bundelkhand Expressway is being prepared as a Solar Expressway. In Ayodhya, a 10-kilometer long road has been illuminated by solar smart streetlights, setting a world record.