Uttar Pradesh [UP] Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has a well-chiselled strategy for promoting UP. He is lavish in buying liberal space in the mass media: he has contracted regular coverage of UP through advertisements and news in Times of India and major TV news channels and the periodical India Today.
With Elections To the assembly due early the Yogi 2022 has sharpened the publicity blitz. Prime Minister Modi lends rich support by frequent visits for inaugurating several mega projects as also for election meetings.
UP made an impressive sound and dance over the dedication of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 December. The three pro BJP channels – Times Now, CNN 18 and India Today – had a day long coverage of Modi’s visit capturing every move of the Prime Minister including his taking a dip in the Ganga.
The best had happened to the holy city of Varanasi in Modi choosing it to be his constituency the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. An ambitious programme of renovation of the holy city was completed in less than three years with an investment of around Rs 800 crore.
Boost to Infrastructure
A total of 23 buildings were inaugurated in phase 1 of the project. These will provide a variety of facilities to the pilgrims visiting the temple, including Yatri Suvidha Kendras, Tourist Facilitation Centre, Vedic Kendra, Mumukshu Bhavan, Bhogshala, City Museum, Viewing Gallery, Food Court …
The project is now spread over a vast area of 5 lakh sq. ft. The project involved purchase and acquisitions of more than 300 properties around Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple. The rehabilitation of around 1400 shopkeepers, tenants and homeowners was done amicably. During the process of destruction of the old properties, more than 40 ancient temples were rediscovered. These temples have been restored and beautified, while ensuring that there is no change in the original structure.
High priority to highways
Chief Minister Yogi also lavished the state with several mega infrastructure projects, notably, high speed expressways.
The 341 km long, 6-lane Purvanchal Expressway, constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 22,500 crore starts at village Chaudsarai in Lucknow district and ends at Haidaria village, 18 kilometres east of the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border. The key feature of the Expressway is the 3.2 km long airstrip to enable landing and take-off of Indian Air Force fighter planes in case of an emergency.
The expressway can be expanded to 8-lane in the future. It is set to give a boost to the economic development of the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh.
The Prime Minister recently laid the foundation for Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur. The 594 km, six-lane expressway will begin from Meerut and go up to Prayagraj. The expressway could be expanded to eight-lane later on and is being developed at a cost is Rs 36,290 crore.
The largest state is now witnessing such large investments on infrastructure. This appears a replica of such focus made at Gujarat earlier.
UP has been the first in the production of milk, sugarcane, sugar, wheat… and the largest producer of horticulture crops. Add to these, the thrust on infrastructure and manufacture.
The BJP has every reason to focus on UP, the largest state with 408 constituencies facing election. The record of Yogi Adityanath appears impressive with little complaint of corruption and visible improvements in the delivery of several welfare projects like Swachch Bharat, expansion of power, housing…
Yogi makes intelligent use of Central allocations for infrastructure. Interestingly the state also effectively publicises its considerable achievements. –SV
