Eastern UP neglected since independence, PM Modi liberated people from curse of poverty, backwardness: CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that the eastern part of the state has been "neglected since independence", adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has liberated the people from the curse of poverty and backwardness. Addressing a gathering at the inauguration ceremony of the Saryu Nahar National Project in Balrampur, the Chief Minister said, "Eastern Uttar Pradesh was continuously neglected since independence, hence, there was poverty and backwardness. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has liberated the people from the curse here."

"The areas which had never dreamt of receiving water for irrigation, in those areas, with the help of the Saryu Canal Project, the farmers have received a historic gift. Dreams of lakhs of farmers have come true," he added. Slamming the previous governments for the delay in completion of the project, Adityanath said, "The Saryu Canal Project was approved in 1972, but ever since, the project could not be completed. The reason was that the then governments; whether it that of Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) or Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), took no interest. As a result, the project was not even half completed in 40 years."

"Saryu Nahar National Project was approved in 1972, the year I was born. I grew up but it never got completed," he added. Listing the achievements of the BJP-led state government, UP CM said, "We launched projects of Rs 10,000cr on December 7 and had inaugurated nine medical colleges in Siddharthnagar and one international airport in Kushinagar."

"17 out of the 18 UP projects have been completed, with which UP's nine districts' almost 15 lakh hectare land has now found a great way for irrigation, so as to double the income of farmers," he added. PM Modi today inaugurated the Saryu Nahar National Project in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur.

The Saryu Nahar National Project has been built with a total cost of more than Rs 9,800 crore, out of which more than Rs 4,600 crore was provisioned in the last four years. The project also involves the interlinking of five rivers - Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region.