Mumbai: Times Now Navbharat, Times Network’s leading Hindi news channel, hosted leadership conclave ‘Viksit Bharat – Samriddh Uttar Pradesh’ in Lucknow, today. The conclave celebrated Uttar Pradesh’s accelerated growth and its pivotal role in India’s long-term development roadmap.
The conclave featured focused thematic sessions led by senior ministers of the Uttar Pradesh government, including Shri Brajesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Swatantra Dev Singh, Jal Shakti Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Jaiveer Singh, Tourism Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Kapil Dev Aggarwal, Vocational Education and Skill Development Minister, Uttar Pradesh amongst others.
Speaking at the ‘Viksit Bharat – Samriddh Uttar Pradesh’, The Chief Guest, Hon’ble Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, said, “Uttar Pradesh was and is a state of unlimited potential. When deserving people came to power, development began to be visible. When the double India government came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, the previous government had presented a budget of ₹3 lakh crore in 2016-17. Today, Uttar Pradesh is riding the chariot of development, and this year we have presented a budget of more than ₹9 lakh, 12 thousand, 600 crore.”
Talking about the opposition parties, he added, “Their vision for the country was never positive, but rather negative. Previous governments had left Uttar Pradesh in a very dire state. In the last nine years, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have brought Uttar Pradesh onto the path of development.
Today’s Uttar Pradesh is proud not only of the people of Uttar Pradesh, but of the entire nation and Indians living around the world. After independence, Uttar Pradesh’s contribution to India’s economy was 14 percent until 1950.”
He sounded the poll bugle for the 2027 state assembly elections, challenging the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav to support the campaign for the restoration of the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura. “I want to make an offer to Akhilesh,” Adityanath told Navika Kumar, the Group Editor in Chief of Times Now and Times Now Navbharat. He further added, “He must also start preparing and move forward for Krishna Janmabhoomi. And if he does so, people will appreciate that. He must initiate it.”
Adityanath was confident of a third consecutive victory for his party, and dismissed Akhilesh and the Samajwadi Party’s prospects. “For him, there’s no scope and no future,” he said. “The Congress is counting its last days. A corpse usually is carried by four people to the funeral. In the Congress’s case, they don’t even have four legislators in the UP assembly. The Samajwadi Party is headed the same way.” Adityanath also described Rahul Gandhi as a captain leading a sinking ship.
Speaking about the minorities in the country, Brajesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, said, “Minority communities are friends, but we are against invaders. I have friends from the minority community, you know the renowned Maulana of the country, he is my personal friend, you can call him and ask, he is with me. All the leaders in the Shia community are friends, we stand with everyone for work, but what do you lose by saying that Babar was an invader, whether he was a plunderer or not, you will glorify him, we have said that, we say it even today, we are against the invaders, those who have hurt our Sanatan culture. We are always against those who have destroyed our temples.”
In a candid session with Kapil Dev Aggarwal, Minister for Vocational Education and Skill Development Department, Uttar Pradesh shed light surrounding the nameplate controversy. He added, “Kanwariyas should have the right to decide where they should sit and what they should eat during the journey. There’s no restriction on you, but why the deception? However, there’s no need to discuss this further right now. You named your shop Sankalp Shudh Bhojanalay, but you’re selling non-veg. We told you to sell both vegetarian and non-veg in your shop, but please explain what you offer. If you prepare and sell non-veg, then state what’s available at the shop. Vegetarian shops will write vegetarian, and non-vegetarians will write non-vegetarian. Clearly stating the nameplate on the shop will allow people to eat wherever they choose. Yes, there are many vegetarians and non-vegetarians. People are often misled by the shop’s nameplate. We’ve taken steps to put a stop to that. This isn’t a Hindu-Muslim issue.”
Regarding reforms in the ITI, he added, “Previous governments did not pay much attention to this department. The Tata Group has invested approximately ₹7,000 crore in our sector. We invested in 150 ITIs in Uttar Pradesh in the first phase, and in 62 ITIs and five C-IIITs in the second phase. Tata contributed 87 percent of these funds, and the government contributed 13 percent. Today, ITIs have transformed. Colleges are equipped with new machinery and technology. Students are being trained in AI, drones, electric vehicles, solar, hospitality, and medical care. We conducted a mapping of the people who attended the Industrial Summit, asking them about their needs and the type of manpower they require. Based on the findings of the district-wise survey, training is being provided to students so that they can find employment and jobs in their surrounding areas.”
Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, the conclave highlighted a concrete action plan for Uttar Pradesh’s long-term growth, focusing on good governance, inclusive development, and public welfare supporting the state’s ambition of becoming a USD 1 trillion economy.
The conclave is held with the Government of Uttar Pradesh as the State Partner, Co-Powered by Goldiee Group, and Associate Sponsors Rungta Steel and Denver.
-Based on Press Release
