Lucknow, Oct 7 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s completion of 25 years in public service as a historic journey from a small village in Gujarat to the global stage, saying the milestone was a matter of pride for every Indian.
Addressing the Seva Jyoti Yatra – Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Sabha at Patel Park in Hazratganj, Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Today is a day of pride for every Indian, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is completing 25 years of dedicated public service. On this occasion, on behalf of the people of Uttar Pradesh, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and greetings to the Honourable Prime Minister. I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the people of the state and every party worker on this momentous occasion.”
“Brothers and sisters, such an occasion is rarely witnessed when a person who emerged from a small village in Gujarat goes on to lead India at the global level,” he added.
CM Yogi said that PM Modi had completed 25 years of continuous service, first as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and subsequently as the Prime Minister of India.
“On this day in 2001, Narendra Modi, who is now the Prime Minister, took the oath of office and secrecy as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. At that time, Gujarat was facing a severe crisis. The entire country was concerned about the devastation caused by the disaster in Gujarat,” he said.
“This is a remarkable coincidence, and today marks 25 years of that journey. It is a journey from the village to the global stage. It is a journey of transformation in the lives of every citizen of India and of building an India that has instilled confidence in the minds of its youth,” the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.
He said the journey had also focused on providing security for women, improving the lives of farmers and strengthening employment opportunities for the youth.
“If we look back at India 12 years ago, it was considered a ‘Fragile Five’ economy, among the weakest economies in the world. India’s per capita income was also among the lowest in the world. But today, we can proudly say that India has succeeded in securing a place among the top five economies globally,” CM Yogi said.
Highlighting the transformation in India’s infrastructure and connectivity, he said, “Today, India has an excellent connectivity network. Remember, there was a time when railway speeds were limited to around 80 kilometres per hour. There were delays due to the lack of electrification. A freight train could take several days to travel from Kolkata to Delhi.”
“Passenger trains and freight trains were forced to run on the same tracks. Today, India has broad-gauge railway networks, electrification and dedicated freight corridors for transporting goods. Through the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors, freight movement will take place separately, while passenger trains are moving forward in a new direction,” he added.
CM Yogi said Indian Railways was now offering world-class facilities through Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat trains.
Speaking about financial inclusion and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the Chief Minister said the Jan Dhan Yojana had helped ensure that government benefits reached beneficiaries directly.
“When PM Modi started opening Jan Dhan accounts, people said, ‘Look, by merely opening accounts, the poor are being made a fool of.’ This was not a joke; it was a strike against the corruption of the Congress and the INDI alliance,” Yogi said.
“Today, through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), you can see that the money released from Delhi or Lucknow goes directly into the accounts of the poor, women, farmers, youth and workers, ensuring that the benefits reach them directly,” he added.
