Express News Service
LUCKNOW: Citing NITI Aayog data, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that Uttar Pradesh had changed for good by moving out of the BIMARU state category and emerging as a ‘Saksham Pradesh’ (capable state) on the path of development.
While handing over appointment letters to 1,573 ANM health workers, on Tuesday, CM Yogi substantiated his point by saying that in 2015-16, about six crore people, constituting 37.68 per cent of the state population, were Below Poverty Line (BPL). “However, the percentage of people Below Poverty Line dropped from 37.68 per cent to 22 per cent in 2019–20 and currently it stands at 12 per cent,” he added.
The CM accused previous governments of indulging in corrupt practices during recruitment drives. He said that the youth of the state used to face an identity crisis and the Chacha-Bhatija (SP leader Shivpal Yadav and his nephew Akhilesh Yadav) used to embark upon an extortion spree whenever government vacancies were announced. However, the CM did not take names while referring to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav who was a cabinet minister in the Akhilesh government (2012-2017).
“Today, no one can point a finger at any of the state recruitment commissions or boards. We are taking the recruitment process for government jobs forward in a transparent manner by making better use of technology. This has given the youth confidence who are also willing to contribute to the state’s progress,” said Yogi while addressing new appointees.
Criticising previous dispensations, the Chief Minister said that the sick-minded government of the past had made Uttar Pradesh sick.
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Sharing the course of development followed during his tenure of six years, the CM cited the example of 10 aspirational districts including Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Badaun, Sitapur, Siddharthnagar, Sambhal, Kheri, Hardoi and Banda, lagging in development. As Niti Aayog identified them as aspirational districts, they came under special focus for development. This was followed by the identification of 100 aspirational blocks that began to be developed, said Yogi.
He added that his government started working on the parameters set by NITI Aayog on education, health, agriculture and water resources, skill development and employment, and economic inequality.
He claimed that during the last one-and-a-half years of his second tenure in office, 19 appointment letter distribution programmes were organised and 58,000 aspirants got government jobs.
He claimed that ASHA workers and ANM health workers were neglected by previous governments and the vacant posts were not filled.
