Marking the completion of 30 months in office, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said his government has changed the "perception" of the state considerably and "restored its identity".
Addressing a press conference, he claimed Uttar Pradesh has set a record in implementation of various central schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Saubhagya Yojana, Kisan insurance, construction of toilets and provision of health insurance.
"On March 19, 2017, the BJP government was formed in the state after a 14-year-exile. In the past two-and-half years Uttar Pradesh was pulled out from a state of identity crisis as we converted challenges to opportunities.
"The biggest achievement of my team has been changing the perception of Uttar Pradesh and restoring its identity," Adityanath said.
The chief minister said the law-and-order situation in the state has "improved" and claimed that there "has not been a single incident of riot in the state in the last two-and-half years".
"Dacoity cases declined by 54 per cent, incidents of rape declined by 36 per cent, murder by 15 per cent, loot fell by 45 per cent, extortion/kidnapping by 30 per cent and clashes (balwaa) by 38 per cent.
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"The dreaded criminals have either fled from the state or are in jail. There has been a sharp decline in dacoity, rape, extortion, loot and clashes (balwaa). As many as 41 new police stations have been opened in the state," Adityanath said.
During the hour-long press conference to mark the occasion, he released a booklet on the achievements of his government and listed organising the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad and Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Varanasi as the key successes of the state government.
A film titled 'UP Ke Karmayogi' was also screened at the press conference where the chief minister was flanked by his two deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma besides state BJP chief Swatantradev Singh.
"Sanyasi ke karmayoga se damak raha UP ka bhaal (Because of the work of a saint, UP is shining)," the video said, claiming that the two-and-half years of the Adityanath government were better than the past 65 years.
Adityanath also said the condition of farmers in the state earlier was very bad and they were forced to commit suicide.
"We devised a number of schemes for the farmers. Crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh given to 86 lakh farmers in the state were waived and record purchase of crops was done," he said.
Adityanath took the opportunity to point out that "all major festivals have been held peacefully in the state". Asserting that Lok Sabha polls were held peacefully in the state, he said there in reports of violence in certain states with half the number of seats compared to Uttar Pradesh.
The state has witnessed huge investments in the industrial sector and creation of job opportunities for the youth, according to the booklet titled 'Vikas Evam Sushashan Ke 30 Mah' (30 months of good governance and development).
The chief minister pointed out that the state government's workplan for the future is to enable Uttar Pradesh to become a USD 1 trillion economy.
He claimed that in the past two-and-half years 50 lakh children have been enrolled in government primary schools.
Another major achievement of his government was a significant decline in deaths caused by encephalitis, Adityanath said.
The BJP, which had stormed to power in the state with a massive majority, maintained its grip over the electorate as the saffron party and its ally Apna Dal (S) won 64 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year.
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