Need Niti Aayog’s support to turn UP into Uttam Pradesh: Yogi

Lucknow (UP), July 15 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday asked the Niti Aayog to prepare a plan, similar to the Centre's aspirational districts programme, for transformation of every district in his state.

The Centre's 'Transformation of Aspirational Districts' programme aims to expeditiously improve the socio-economic status of 117 districts from across 28 states.

The states are judged on 49 parameters, including human development index, health and nutrition, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion, skill development and infrastructure.

Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddhartha Nagar, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra are the eight districts from UP, which are a part of the programme.

Attending a meeting with Niti Aayog officials in Lucknow, Yogi said that his government's intention, from the very beginning, was to turn UP to 'Uttam Pradesh' and it welcomed every suggestion made by the Aayog officials.

"The state government will provide all possible help for the same. Once a plan is made, it will be implemented in a time-bound manner," he said.

Presenting details of the progress of eight aspirational districts, Niti Aayog, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant said his organisation wanted the aspirational districts of Uttar Pradesh to be recognised as top among the 115 districts on all major parameters.

Aayog members appreciated Adityanath's interest in the programme and expressed hope that all the aspirational districts from UP would scale up to the top of every key parameter in the next 3-4 months.

They also suggested that the District Magistrates of the aspirational districts share with them the good work done in their areas.

Chief Secretary Dr. Anup Chandra Pandey, Principal Secretary - Information Awanish Awasthi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mrityunjay Narayan, Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of the concerned departments also attended the meeting.