 "UP election: In one month, Akhilesh launches projects worth Rs 1,50,000 cr")
In his frantic bid to overwhelm the imposition of model code of conduct once the Election Commission (EC) announces UP poll dates, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has over the past few weeks either inaugurated or laid foundation of development and infrastructure projects worth over Rs 1,50,000 crore.
Interestingly, these projects totalling Rs 1,50,000 crore would be equal to over 40% of the UP Annual Budget for the current fiscal 2016-17 pegged at Rs 3,46,000 crore.
The budgetary grants and funds for these projects had either been provided during the previous financial years or would be provisioned in UP Budgets in coming fiscals during the course of their progress.
These projects include some of the flagship projects of the Akhilesh government, including Agra-Lucknow Expressway (Rs 15,000 crore), Lucknow-Ballia Purvanchal Expressway (Rs 22,000 crore), Lucknow Metro Rail (Rs 12,000 crore) etc.
EC is expected to shortly announce the polling dates in UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur, where elections are due in early 2017. Under model code of conduct, the state governments are prohibited from announcing or inaugurating new projects as it is considered an influencing factor on prospective voters.
While Akhilesh inaugurated the 302-km long Agra-Lucknow Expressway on November 21 at Unnao district after a grand air show by Mirage and Sukhoi fighter jets of Indian Air Force (IAF), he laid the foundation of the 356-km long Lucknow-Ballia Purvanchal Expressway on December 22, 2016.
Likewise, he had flagged off the trail run on the priority section of Lucknow Metro on December 1. Its commercial run is projected to start before April 2017.
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On December 20, Akhilesh had launched or laid foundation of new development projects worth over Rs 60,000 crore in different functions in the state capital. These included inauguration of a block in the super speciality Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, a new bus terminus, 200-bed hospital, international cricket stadium in Lucknow, cancer hospital, UP mandi parishad project etc.
Other big projects comprised IT City, Jai Prakash Narain International Centre, swimming pool, UP public works department (PWD) projects etc.
Today, Akhilesh inaugurated and laid foundation of development projects worth Rs 51,000 crore in Etah district. These includes foundation laying of 2X660 megawatt (MW) of Jawaharpur thermal power project in Etah, 2X660 MW Obra 'C' thermal power project in Sonebhadra district, Harduaganj thermal power project extension and other power sector projects in Kannauj.
Besides, power sector projects were also inaugurated by the CM pertaining to Sonebhadra, Lalitpur, Allahabad, Greater Noida etc.
In his interactions with media, Akhilesh has always been candid that time was running out for him and he wanted to make sure more and more development projects were inaugurated and started before the EC announces UP poll dates.
In 2012, UP had witnessed polling in 7 phases between February 8 and March 3. Samajwadi Party had then displaced the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government by winning 224 seats in the 403 member house, followed by BSP with 80 seats.