Implementation of schemes in UP accelerated since Adityanath took over: Min

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said the implementation of central schemes in Uttar Pradesh has accelerated significantly since Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of the state.

Addressing a session on "reimagining cities as growth centres for new Uttar Pradesh" at the Global Investors Summit here, the Union housing and urban development minister said India will become the world's largest economy by 2040.

"Development and implementation of schemes in Uttar Pradesh have accelerated significantly since Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of the state in 2017, Puri said.

"I continue to visit the city every second or third month. The previous government had little interest in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which was launched by the central government in June 2015," he said.

After Adityanath took over in 2017, more than 17 lakh houses were built in the next 17 months, Puri said.

"These figures are enough to tell the success story of the state. Today, UP is number one in implementing the schemes of the Centre," he added.

He further said the pace with which India is moving ahead to fulfil the prime minister's vision, India will become the world's largest economy by 2040 itself.

"Our cities are the transformers of our economy. Metro service was started by (former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Currently, our metro service ranks fifth in the world. Within the next several months, we will rank among the top three in the world based on our current projects," he said.

Speaking at the session, the state's Urban Development Minister A K Sharma said, "When I was appointed as minister, I understood that cleanliness was central to a city's growth. I thus launched a campaign to clean the city."

Earlier, several people used to complain to me about heaps of trash lying on the streets of residential localities, however, the situation has completely changed today, he said.