Azamgarh, known for radicalisation previously, is prepared to scale new heights of development with the presence of rule of law, and through a slew of developmental projects taking shape under the Bharatiya Janata Party government, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday.
Dedicating development projects worth more than Rs 145 crore in Azamgarh, once considered a stronghold of Samajwadi Party, Yogi Adityanath said that Azamgarh’s potential was blemished in the presence of negative, divisive forces. He said the youth there used to face identity crisis, remained unemployed and used to lag behind others, but today, Azamgarh’s faith in BJP would take it to new heights of development and prosperity.
The chief minister added that five years back, whenever the youth belonging to Azamgarh went out to different states looking for employment, he had to conceal his identity to get shelter.
“Azamgarh ka naujavan apni pehchan chhupane par majboor hota tha, uske saamne pehchan ka sankat khada hota tha,” Yogi said.
Stating that he had visited Azamgarh thrice during the COVID-19 pandemic, Yogi said that those who were responsible for Azamgarh’s predicament never cared to visit the region, or work for its development. “But we continued to work for Azamgarh’s development even when our MLAs or MPs were not chosen by it,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Purvanchal Expressway in 2018 at Azamgarh to boost the development of the region and connect it to places like Delhi and Lucknow. Besides, Azamgarh’s decades-long dream of having a university was also fulfilled by the double-engine governments of the BJP, Yogi pointed out.
A university in the name of Suheldev was being set up on a war footing and sufficient funds had been allocated to ensure its uninterrupted progress, the Yogi said.
The chief minister, on the occasion, announced to revive the rich cultural, musical and literary legacy of Azamgarh.
“Azamgarh is a pioneer in the field of literature; we are also working to develop an institute in the name of prominent litterateur and Hindi writer Rangeya Raghav here,” he said.
Emphasising that his government was committed to providing employment to the youth according to their capabilities, the chief minister issued immediate instructions to organise a massive Rojgar Mela in Azamgarh to provide job opportunities to the youth there.
Highlighting his government’s achievements, the chief minister said that in the last five years, five lakh youths had been given government jobs in the state, while about 1.61 crore youths were given job opportunities through various micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) units and industrial sectors among others.
Similarly, about 60 lakh craftsmen, artisans were also connected with banks in a way to ensure their self-employment, he added.
The chief minister asked the authorities concerned to further promote Azamgarh’s one District One Product -- black pottery -- efficiently and ensure that free-of-cost raw materials were provided for the same to the artisans and more and more people got employment through it.
“Better marketing of these products should be done and through common service centres, the people engaged in manufacturing of black pottery should be linked with technology,” he said.
Yogi said, “As the country is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark 75 years of Indian independence, I request everyone to join hands and pledge to make ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign successful as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. All our schools and colleges must ensure that they make our children aware of the sacrifices of all our freedom fighters and especially of the freedom fighters belonging to their respective regions.”
Reaffirming his commitment to ensuring self-reliance and empowerment of the youth, the chief minister said that the government was providing tablets and smartphones to the youth to bridge the digital divide and ensure their growth.