LUCKNOW – Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that Uttar Pradesh was not an inherently “BIMARU” (a term for sick and underdeveloped states) state, but rather was turned into one by dishonest political parties. He asserted that a culture of corruption and cronyism had plunged the once-prosperous state into an identity crisis.
Addressing an appointment letter distribution ceremony at Lok Bhawan Auditorium on Wednesday, CM Yogi handed over letters to 2,425 newly selected Chief Caretakers (Mukhya Sevikas) and 13 Pharmacists from the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission. The Chief Minister congratulated the new appointees and praised the commission for its fair and transparent recruitment process.
CM Yogi highlighted that from 1947 to 1960, Uttar Pradesh was a leading state, contributing over 14% to the country’s economy. However, he noted a decline began after 1960, which accelerated post-1990, leading to the state’s contribution falling below 8% by 2017.
“Before 2017, appointments were rife with malpractices, and deserving candidates fell victim to discrimination and corruption,” CM Yogi said. “The politics of riots and dynastic rule turned UP into a den of loot, where even youth who left the state for opportunities elsewhere faced an identity crisis.”
The Chief Minister spoke of a significant improvement in health and nutrition since 2017. Citing the NFHS survey (2015-16), he noted a reduction in anemia among women by 5.1%, stunting by 6.6%, underweight children by 7.4%, and wasting by 0.6%. He also emphasized the role of ‘Anganwadi’ centers in achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Addressing the opposition, CM Yogi criticized their “negativity” on issues like school mergers, clarifying that the move is part of the National Education Policy aimed at strengthening the student-teacher ratio. He said that vacant school buildings would be used for pre-primary education and ‘Bal Vatikas,’ or children’s gardens, which are crucial for the mental development of young children.
CM Yogi also underscored the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment. He stated that in a recent police recruitment drive of 60,244 personnel, 12,045 were women. He also mentioned that over 40,000 women have been recruited into the police force in the last eight years, a significant increase from the 10,000 recruited between 1947 and 2017. He also highlighted the success of schemes like the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana and Matru Vandana Yojana, which have financially supported millions of girls and women.
