Union minister Nitin Gadkari today said Uttar Pradesh is a "rich state with poor people" and asked farmers to focus on ethanol production to boost their income.
Gadkari was here for laying the foundation stone of Rs 600-crore project of Deoria bypass road and Rs 275 crore Kaptanganj-Padrouna road.
The Union transport and shipping minister said the government will transform the agriculture sector and bring more industries in the state to tackle unemployment issue.
"Uttar Pradesh is a rich state with poor people. It is a land of Lord Buddha and Lord Ram; and farmers are, despite of hard work, living in poverty. After 70 years of independence, the condition has not improved here. Production of ethanol will make farmers prosperous... (their) fate will be changed," he said.
"We import diesel and petrol worth Rs 7 lakh crore and farmers can make ethanol with pual (rice bran) and khoi (sugarcane residue). Around 280 litres of ethanol could be made out of 1 tonne hay. Twenty-five factories of ethanol could be run in Deoria. We will bring change in the agriculture area of the country and open industries to provide employment," Gadkari said.
The minister further said, "There is no corruption in our department and the kind of roads we are making will last for three generations. I am ready to give electric buses to Uttar Pradesh and people could make journey in AC buses in Rs 50 ticket."
The world is changing, and technology and innovation will decide the country's future, Gadkari said, adding that his government has increased the speed of national highways construction and 14-lane road between Delhi and Meerut is under process.
UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said the road construction work has been expedited in the state and the Centre has given financial support.
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