Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the entire nation now acknowledges the state’s emerging identity in areas of security, good governance, prosperity, and Sanatan culture.

On the occasion of the Uttar Pradesh government completing 8 years in office, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath unveiled a comprehensive blueprint of the state’s development journey at a press conference here on Monday.

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During the event, a documentary titled “Ek Jhalak” showcasing the achievements of the government over the past eight years was screened, and a special booklet released.

Addressing the media, CM Yogi said, “With the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the collective efforts of 25 crore citizens, Uttar Pradesh is moving forward on the path of transforming from a ‘Shram Shakti Punj’ to an ‘Arth Shakti Punj’ of India. The state is the same, but its perception has been completely transformed over the last eight years.”

He said, “Uttar Pradesh, which once carried the tag of a ‘BIMARU’ state, has today emerged as the growth engine of the Indian economy.”

The Chief Minister emphasized that the past eight years of service, security, and good governance have been achieved under the visionary leadership and inspirational guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He congratulated the 25 crore people of the state for being part of this transformative journey and highlighted the significant impact made by the double-engine government across all sectors.

CM Yogi also announced that a three-day ‘Vikas Utsav’ will be celebrated at all district headquarters on March 25, 26, and 27. During the event, Annadaata farmers, youth, women, artisans, and entrepreneurs will be honored, and the development milestones of 10 years of the Central government and 8 years of the State government will be showcased to the public.

The Chief Minister stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a clear vision to make India a $5 trillion economy, and Uttar Pradesh is playing a pivotal role in this mission. “UP is currently the second-largest economy in the country and is poised to become number one soon,” he said.

He expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, his cabinet colleagues, and all constituent parties of the NDA for their continuous support. He credited the state’s journey over the past eight years to a collective spirit of teamwork, scale, skill, and speed.

Reflecting on the situation before 2017, CM Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh’s identity was in deep crisis. “Farmers were committing suicide, the youth were searching for purpose, daughters and businessmen felt unsafe, and riots and lawlessness had crippled the economy,” he recalled. At that time, UP was labelled a BIMARU state and seen as a hurdle to national development.

“But in eight years, the double engine government has transformed that perception. Today, Uttar Pradesh is leading progress across every sector, becoming a breakthrough force in the nation’s development,” he asserted.

Discussing the transformation in agriculture, the Chief Minister noted that Uttar Pradesh has always been an agriculture-rich state, with abundant fertile land and water resources. “However, before 2017, the condition of farmers was dire,” he said. One of the first major decisions of his government in 2017 was to waive loans of small and marginal farmers, worth Rs 36,000 crore. As a result, food grain production increased from 557 lakh metric tonnes in 2016-17 to 668 lakh metric tonnes in 2023-24 — a 20% rise.

He further shared that over Rs 10 lakh crore has been transferred directly to beneficiaries through DBT. Long-pending irrigation projects such as Arjun Sahayak, Bansagar, and Saryu Canal were completed, bringing irrigation to an additional 23,000 hectares. Leveraging the expertise of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, new agricultural universities, and modern technology, UP has emerged as a leader in the production of paddy, wheat, pulses, and Shri Anna (millets).

Speaking about the turnaround in the sugarcane sector, CM Yogi recalled that from 2008 to 2017, sugarcane farmers were burdened with unpaid dues running into thousands of crores. “Our government ensured that not a single sugar mill was shut down, and at the same time, opened three new sugar mills, revived six, and expanded 38 others,” he said.

Between 2017 and now, Rs 2.80 lakh crore has been paid to sugarcane farmers — Rs 60,000 crore more than the total paid in the previous 22 years, he pointed out. Ethanol production has also surged, growing from 42 crore litres to 177 crore litres, he added.

Highlighting law and order as the biggest achievement of his government, CM Yogi said, “Before 2017, riots were a regular occurrence. Daughters and traders lived in fear. Today, there is a clear rule of law in Uttar Pradesh.” He cited the Prayagraj Mahakumbh as an example of effective governance, noting that during the 45-day event, not a single incident of molestation, robbery, or kidnapping was reported.

He also pointed out that in 2017, there were 1.5 lakh vacant police posts. Through a transparent recruitment process, the government appointed 1,56,000 police personnel and recently added another 60,200. “There were no police lines in 10 districts — today, we’ve built them in every district,” he added. Training capacity for police personnel has increased from 6,000 to 60,244.

CM Yogi noted that while the previous governments had abolished 54 companies of the PAC; his government reinstated them. Additionally, three women battalions and five new PAC battalions were established. Cyber police stations and help desks were set up, and the response time of Police Response Vehicle (PRV) 112 was brought down from 25 minutes 42 seconds to just 7 minutes 24 seconds. The “Safe City” project has taken shape with the installation of over 11 lakh CCTV cameras, ensuring greater surveillance and public safety.

Focusing on youth development, CM Yogi stated that the unemployment rate, which was 19% in 2016-17, has declined to just 3% today. Over the past eight years, more than 8 lakh government jobs have been provided, and over 2 crore youth have been empowered through self-employment in the MSME sector. Furthermore, 50 lakh youth have been made digitally enabled through the distribution of tablets and smartphones. With 96 lakh MSME units, Uttar Pradesh leads the country in this domain.

The One District One Product (ODOP) scheme has revitalized traditional industries and entrepreneurship, with exports rising from Rs 86,000 crore to over Rs 2 lakh crore. Under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Yojana, the target is to create one lakh new entrepreneurs by March 31. Young entrepreneurs are being provided interest-free, collateral-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh. Artisans are also being supported through skill development and toolkits under the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana.

Speaking on educational reforms, CM Yogi noted that cheating in exams, once seen as a norm, has now been eliminated through transparent and strict practices. Enrollments in Basic Education Council schools have increased by over 50 lakh. Every child receives Rs 1,200 for uniforms, school bags, books, shoes, and sweaters. Schools have been upgraded with facilities such as toilets, clean drinking water, digital libraries, and proper flooring.