Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, announced an increase in the daily honorarium for more than 35,000 personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PRD).

The honorarium has been raised to Rs 500 per day, reflecting the government’s commitment to recognizing their service and dedication.

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Speaking during an event on ‘National Youth Day’ organized on Swami Vivekananda Jayanti in the auditorium of Lok Bhavan, Lucknow, he said, “Swami Vivekananda was a great son of India who played a key role in bringing the country’s ancient spiritual culture to the global stage. Through his speech at the Chicago Summit in 1893, he introduced the world to India’s significance and its rich spiritual and cultural heritage.”

“Swami Vivekananda often used to say ‘the greater the challenge, the more glorious the victory.’ This serves as a source of inspiration for the youth, who are forging ahead by embracing this motivational message,” he added.

The Chief Minister acknowledged the achievements of Uttar Pradesh’s youth, stating that 63 participants from the state took part in the National Festival, with three of them winning gold medals, bringing pride to the state.

He noted that while earlier there was an identity crisis for the youth of Uttar Pradesh, today they are proving their talent on national and global platforms.

During the event, the CM presented the State-Level Swami Vivekananda Youth Awards to winners and handed over appointment letters to selected dependents of deceased Provincial Guard Force personnel.

He also launched the AI-based integrated portal “Yuva Saathi,” designed to utilize artificial intelligence to further enhance opportunities for the youth.

The CM warned against the dangers of substance abuse, emphasizing that addiction can destroy a young person’s future. He urged the youth to take a stand against drugs, calling for active participation from Yuvak Mangal Dal and Mahila Mangal Dal.

Addressing health initiatives, the CM highlighted the nationwide campaign against tuberculosis (TB), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming to eradicate TB from India by 2025. He mentioned that free treatment and medication are being provided to identified patients.

The CM expressed optimism about India’s future, asserting that by 2047, the country will emerge as a global superpower. He called for collective efforts to achieve this vision.

Highlighting the role of the PRD, CM Yogi emphasized its formation in 1948 and the importance of training PRD personnel to enhance their contribution during disasters.

He personally handed over appointment letters to dependents of deceased PRD personnel, including Mohammad Amir and Kamla Devi from Basti, Madhav Awasthi from Kanpur Nagar, Bhupendra from Amroha, and Chandrashekhar from Fatehpur.

The event also celebrated young achievers, with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Award being presented to Arshpreet Singh (Jhansi), Amal (Baghpat), Arpita Singh (Gorakhpur), Ajit Kumar Soni (Chandauli), Sundaram Tiwari (Pratapgarh), Satyadev Arya (Bareilly), Siddharth Rai (Ghazipur), Akshay Shukla (Unnao), and Aryan Gaur (Bulandshahr), who received certificates and checks in recognition of their achievements.

Additionally, members of Yuvak Mangal Dal, including Praveen Kumar Gupta and Ankesh Gupta from Ambedkar Nagar, Abhishek Kumar Yadav from Siddharthnagar, and Piyush Chaubey and Shani from Varanasi, were honored with certificates and cheques.

The event was attended by Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare Girish Chandra Yadav, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, and other dignitaries.