U.P. now country’s leading economic powerhouse: CM Yogi
This progress was made possible partly due to the constructive role of institutions like FICCI, says Yogi Adityanath
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said Uttar Pradesh is no longer seen as a laggard but as one of India’s leading economic powerhouses, growth engine and second-largest state economy.
Addressing the national executive council meeting of FICCI here, Yogi showcased the state’s progress to top entrepreneurs since the BJP came to power in March 2017.
Marking the occasion as significant, the CM noted that it coincided with the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution.
“Although U.P. is the largest state in India by population, it was long categorised as a ‘BIMARU’ state. At the time of independence, its per capita income was at par with the national average, but over time, it declined to just one-third. However, the state has witnessed extraordinary progress over the past eight years,” he added.
“The state has doubled its gross state domestic product (GSDP) and per capita income,” the CM apprised the gathering. He emphasised this progress was made possible partly due to the constructive role of institutions like the FICCI.
Recalling the financial constraints U.P. faced in 2017 when the BJP came to power, Yogi pointed out that after assuming office, the government struggled to find funds even for farmer loan waivers and employees’ salaries with little cooperation from banks.
“The government restored fiscal discipline by identifying and eliminating budgetary leakages amounting to ₹36,000 crore — a key factor in transforming Uttar Pradesh into a revenue surplus state today,” he said. On this transformation, the CM said in the past, people were forced to conceal their identity due to rampant anarchy, hooliganism and corruption in the state.
Citing the example of the Mahakumbh, he said prior to 2017, the event (Mahakumbh) was marred by dirt and disorder. But this time, cleanliness and orderliness were the defining features, the CM added.
Emphasising the state’s infrastructure development, Yogi said earlier the state was associated with poor roads and darkness. “But today, Uttar Pradesh has the country’s largest expressway network, metro rail, rail network and waterways,” he said.
“The state boasts four lakh kms of national highway network, 16 functioning airports (four international and 12 domestic), and Asia’s largest Jewar airport which is under construction. Apart from this, steps like a logistics hub and dry port have made Uttar Pradesh attractive for investment,” Yogi said.
The CM stressed that the government has taken significant steps to support farmers, citing that 122 sugar mills now operate in the state with sugarcane farmers’ dues paid within three to seven days. “Over the last eight years, sugarcane prices have been directly credited to farmers’ accounts via DBT,” Yogi said.
He also highlighted the government’s efforts to enhance investment, noting that in 2017, when companies like Samsung and TCS considered leaving U.P., the government reassured them. “Today, the state has attracted ₹15 lakh crore investment.” he added.
The CM pointed out that Uttar Pradesh now ensures over 500 approvals through a single-window system for entrepreneurs supported by 33 sectoral policies and the Nivesh Mitra portal. This has led to the revival of MSMEs and eliminated unnecessary harassment of entrepreneurs.
He recalled an incident from 2017 when an entrepreneur from Mumbai sought a security guarantee. In 2023, that same entrepreneur invested ₹4,000 crore, calling Uttar Pradesh a ‘dream destination’ for investment.
On the occasion, the CM hailed the successful organisation of the Mahakumbh as a testament to Uttar Pradesh’s potential, highlighting that ₹7,500 crore was invested in rejuvenating Prayagraj’s infrastructure.
Addressing critics who questioned if organising the mega religious fair was the government’s responsibility, he said the event was not confined to Prayagraj alone. “Cities like Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura also saw massive gatherings of devotees, boosting local businesses and reshaping Uttar Pradesh’s image,” Yogi added.
He further emphasised the crucial role of Uttar Pradesh and FICCI in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India.
Speaking on the occasion, FICCI national president Harsh Vardhan Agarwal said: “From a robust law and order ecosystem to world-class infrastructure, expressways and airports, from ease of doing business to attractive sectoral policies—the scale and speed of progress is unprecedented in the state.”
Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, FICCI national president Harsh Vardhan Agarwal, senior vice president Anant Goenka and chairman, FICCI, Uttar Pradesh Manoj Gupta, principal secretary (home) Sanjay Prasad and CM’s advisor Awanish Kumar Awasthi were also present at the event.
