On the first day of Sharadiya Navratri on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, announced Rs 233.20 crore worth of development projects to Gorakhpur. A memorandum of understanding (MoU)was also signed between the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation and the NTPC for the establishment of a plant to make charcoal from wastes in the presence of the chief minister on the occasion.

In a function organized in the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation premises on Sunday morning, the chief minister laid the foundation stone of 189 development works and inaugurated 114 development works.

According to this MoU, NTPC will invest Rs 255 crore to establish a charcoal plant with a daily capacity of 500 tons in Suthani, Sahjanwa, on the land taken by the municipal corporation for solid waste management at Suthni in Sahjanwa. The waste management for producing charcoal will be the responsibility of the civic body.

Speaking at the ceremony organized for the laying of foundation stone and inauguration of 303 development projects in addition to exchange of MoU, Adityanath said, “Urban development is the need of the hour. Urban development will play an important role in making India an economic superpower of the world. This will not only enable people to benefit from government schemes, but also enhance the potential for generating employment on a large scale.”

The CM said that solid waste management has an important role in realizing the vision of a smart city, pointing out that the city’s civic body has taken a big step in this direction with the help of NTPC. After the installation of the plant by NTPC, the waste of municipal bodies will become a means of electricity generation in the form of charcoal, he remarked.

Describing mindless, unplanned, and unscientific development in the field of urban development in the past as a major hurdle, the CM said that it had resulted in accumulation of heaps of garbage everywhere in the city, adding that the Swachh Bharat Mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought about massive and positive changes by addressing this problem.

“In this regard, the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation has taken the initiative to make urban life clean and beautiful while using modern technology to turn waste into wealth,” he added.

The CM stated that improper waste management led to the haphazard dumping of garbage here and there around the city. “Trash piles were a common sight at the city’s entry points, affecting the city’s development. A plant is now being set up where charcoal and CNG will be produced from garbage. This initiative will save the municipal corporation an estimated Rs 600 crore over 25 years,” Adityanath said.

He further said the saved funds will be used for development projects. This plant, which requires 500 tonnes of garbage per day, will ensure proper disposal of the garbage of the municipal corporation as well as all the nagar panchayats of the district.

The CM also mentioned that NTPC will install solar panels on municipal corporation and government buildings, which will contribute to Gorakhpur’s identity as a solar city. For this, the CM expressed gratitude to NTPC.

Discussing the development works being carried out in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said the city was becoming a model of urban development. “Basic infrastructure projects like roads, water supply, and street lighting are being implemented, and care centres for the elderly are being established. Besides, city forest is being developed in one lakh square metres using Miyawaki method,” he added further.

“For the security purpose, surveillance cameras are being installed at every intersection through ICCC. With this, traffic will run in auto mode, and no one will be able to play with safety,” he informed.

Referring to AIIMS, BRD Medical College, Ramgarhtal, the CM said all these developments are giving a new identity to Gorakhpur. The roads in Gorakhpur have been widened to four to six lanes today easing traffic jams, which six years ago was a regular phenomenon, according to the CM. He also emphasized that the government is also working on having a permanent solution to the problem of waterlogging.

Adityanath also extended his Navratri greetings to all citizens and encouraged them to move forward with a focus on development. He also honoured women power during the event organized on the first day of Shardiya Navratri. Under Mission Shakti, 10 women were honoured by the CM for having done excellent work in various fields including cleanliness.