Akhilesh Yadav deprived UP of development: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow, April 14 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Power Minister Piyush Goel on Friday accused the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government of putting up roadblocks in the development of the state on its whims and fancies.

At a function to sign several MoUs in the power sector, Goel said that Uttar Pradesh was deprived of the benefits of the "Power for All" scheme of the central government as Akhilesh Yadav wanted his picture to be displayed over everything relating to the scheme.

As this was not possible, the scheme signed by 28 states hung fire in Uttar Pradesh until the exit of the SP government, and now that a BJP government has come to power in the state, it was being signed within one month, Goel added.

Adityanath, in his address, dittoed the charges and said that the 150 critical care ambulances, which were flagged off by him on Friday, were not accepted by the SP government for two years owing to petty political differences.

"It is sad that for two long years people of the state were deprived of a facility which could have saved the lives of many critically ill patients" Yogi rued.

He promised that the people of the state would be "VVIPs" under his regime and that no one would be discriminated against on grounds of religion, caste or political belief.

Thanking the Narendra Modi government for extending all cooperation to the new state government, the Chief Minister said that his government would ensure that the dreams of great men like Baba Saheb Ambedkar and BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay were realised for the welfare of the farmers, the marginalised and the poorest.

"The dream of 'Uday to Antyodaya' will now be fulfilled," Yogi Adityanath said while pointing out how under the past regimes only select few districts used to get 24x7 power.

"How can this be allowed?" he questioned while adding that VVIP status was no longer reserved for people or places or for that matter even caste and communities.

"For me the most important are the people of the state and we are henceforth committing ourselves to ensuring that the entire state by the end of 2018 will have 24x7 power supply," the Chief Minister added.

He also warned the people against power theft and said that it was a matter of great pride for the state government that half the street lights in Allahabad were fitted with LED bulbs within days, as the Prime Minister was scheduled to attend an event there.

"The officials are the same, we have not changed the whole lot of bureaucrats, but they are performing now. It's because earlier there was no leadership and now there is one," he chuckled, drawing peels of laughter and applause from the gathering.