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‘Not Harvard or Cambridge’: Yogi says locals will make Purvanchal the best
The CM said Purvanchal had nine kinds of climate, the most fertile land in the world, abundant human resources and adequate water, all necessary ingredients for prosperity and development.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said the present government would make eastern UP, also known as Purvanchal, the most prosperous region in the country.
Over the years, there had been a deliberate attempt to malign the region as a laggard, he said, adding that even academia had put its stamp of approval on such a perception at one time.
The chief minister made the comments in Gorakhpur while inaugurating a three-day webinar-cum-seminar on the development of Purvanchal at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay University campus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi and Yogi Adityanath’s former Lok Sabha constituency Gorakhpur are both in Purvanchal.
The UP planning department and the DDU university organised the webinar comprising 45 sessions, to be attended by the chief minister, ministers, development experts, researchers and other stakeholders.
“The region has everything to offer: nine kinds of climate, the most fertile land in the world, abundant human resources, adequate water and flowing rivers like the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Saryu and more. With such resources, we have resolved to turn this region into the most developed and most prosperous one in the country,’’ he said.
“This will not be done by Harvard or Cambridge, but (we) will have to do this with the help of youth, farmers, and local artisans,’’ he said.
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Referring to the state government’s One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme, he said, “Every district has at least one unique product. The government, by promoting and creating a market for the products, will realise PM Modi’s dream of a self-reliant India.’’
“The need of the hour is to not create a white elephant by formulating policies sitting in air-conditioned chambers. We need to make policies as per the local requirements in consultation with the local talent and expertise, and (in line with) the ground realities,” he said.
Purvanchal development board vice-chairman Daya Shankar Dayalu said good times for Purvanchal began six years ago when “Modiji became the MP from Varanasi”.
“Now, it was for chief minister Yogi Adityanath to give a shape to the PM’s vision and create an aura of positivity and ensure a golden future for Purvanchal,” he said.
DDU university vice chancellor Prof Rajesh Singh, Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan and several ministers were present on the occasion.
