Gonda: CM Launches 69 Projects Worth Over Rs 520 Crore
Gonda, November 2: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 69 development projects worth more than Rs 520 crore in Gonda district. The projects are linked to the Gaura and Mankapur assembly constituencies and cover roads, education and bridges.
The event was held at Tejpur gram panchayat in Chhapia development block. During his address, the Chief Minister launched a strong attack on the Samajwadi Party, saying that whenever it came to power, Uttar Pradesh suffered. He alleged that riots, curfews and crime were common during its tenure, and that festive periods were often marked by tension.
Yogi Adityanath said the poor had been deprived of their rights and youth had lost employment opportunities under that regime. He also said that daughters and traders did not feel secure. According to him, the situation has changed, with no curfews now and people celebrating festivals without fear.
He accused the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of protecting criminals and said the BJP government stands for change and respect for faith. He recalled that devotees worshipping Maa Durga at home had faced opposition in the past, and that worship had been restricted at times. This year, he said, 67,000 Durga idols were installed across the state during Navratri.
The Chief Minister highlighted the Kanwar Yatra, saying that approximately 4.5 crore devotees took part in the journey between Ghaziabad and Haridwar this year. He also referred to the events of November 2, 1990, when Ram devotees were fired upon in Ayodhya, and said the BJP government had instead welcomed them with flowers and paved the way for the Ram Temple.
On development, he said that Gonda had received sanctions worth over Rs 16,000 crore in the past nine and a half years, while projects worth around Rs 50,000 crore had been approved for the Devipatan division. He added that Gonda received Rs 3,000 crore in investment proposals in 2023, with several projects already moving forward.
He pointed out that Gonda now has a medical college and university named after Maharaja Devi Baksh Singh, Bahraich has the Maharaja Suheldev Medical College, and a medical college in Balrampur named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee is nearing completion. Approval has also been received from the Centre for widening the Gonda-Ayodhya and Balrampur-Gonda roads.
On employment, the Chief Minister said a plan is in place to provide government jobs to one lakh youth in six months. So far, 12,000 to 15,000 youth have received appointment letters. Appointment letters for 4,500 sub-inspectors will be distributed this week, followed by 35,000 police constables after Diwali and 42,000 home guards. Recruitment in teaching and other departments is also underway. A total of 9.5 lakh youth have received government jobs so far.
He announced that Agniveers returning after four years of service will receive 20 per cent reservation and direct recruitment without examination in the police, PAC, home guards, forest, prison and other departments. Medal-winning athletes have also been given posts such as Deputy SP and sports officer.
Warning those who endanger the safety of daughters and traders, he said they would find only jail or hell as their destination. He added that mafia can no longer obstruct development schemes and that new investment would create local jobs. Compressed biogas projects are being implemented to boost farmers' income from crop residue and cow dung, and shrines such as Baba Prithvinath, Maa Barahi and Swaminarayan Chhapia are being developed.
Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh accused the SP government of running a mafia raj and alleged that under the BSP, extortion from elected representatives took place in the name of the party chief's birthday. He said farmers now get electricity for irrigation, the poor receive free ration, and women are finding work through self-help groups.
Gaura MLA Prabhat Verma said the area now has five government inter colleges and improvements in roads, education, health and religious sites. Mankapur MLA Ramapati Shastri thanked the Chief Minister for ensuring that farmers and common people receive the benefits of government schemes.
During the event, Ramprataap was given a symbolic Ayushman Bharat health insurance card for Rs 5 lakh, Sangeeta received a demo cheque of Rs 85,000 from the CM's discretionary fund, and Ghanshyam was handed a symbolic key under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). Renu Verma of a National Rural Livelihood Mission self-help group was given a demo cheque of Rs 12.73 crore.