Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that The Waqf Board Amendment Bill passed by the Parliament, will end looting and illegal occupation of the government land, which would now be used for public welfare.
The CM visited Maharajganj for a one-day trip on Saturday, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 629 development projects worth Rs 654 crore, including the inauguration of the Rohin Barrage.
During the public meeting organised for the occasion, he highlighted the achievements of both the central and state governments and made a commitment to eradicate poverty from UP in the next three years and to make the state the number one in the country.
Yogi said, “The Waqf Board Amendment Bill was recently passed in Parliament, which will put an end to the looting and illegal occupation of land under the name of Waqf. No one will be able to occupy the land designated for public purposes.”
He said, “The government property will now be used for public welfare, such as schools, hospitals, colleges, medical colleges, barrages and housing projects.”
The CM expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their support in this regard. He also shared that in UP, lakhs of acres of land had been illegally occupied in the name of the Waqf Board, preventing the proper welfare of the poor. “However, with the new law, such exploitation will now be curbed,” he said.
On the occasion of Ashtami during Vasantik Navratri, Yogi paid his respects to Maa Banailiya Devi and highlighted the privilege of inaugurating the Rohin River barrage in the Nautanwa assembly constituency. “This barrage will benefit 16,000 farmers and irrigate over 5,400 hectares of land,” he said.
He announced that the barrage will be named after Maa Banailiya Devi, stating that the water of the Rohin River, which flows from Nepal to Gorakhpur, is sweet and will serve the farmers for many years.
He explained that while this barrage had been in demand for 25 years, previous governments were preoccupied with personal gains and land looting. “Now, this barrage will provide water for irrigation and flood protection, while also creating new employment opportunities through the development of water bodies, tourism, boating, and restaurants,” he said.
Highlighting the significant progress UP has made in the past eight years, the CM said, “In 2017, UP was the seventh largest economy in the country, but today it is the second largest.”
He mentioned the inclusion of villages from tribes like Musahar, Vantangiya and Tharu in various public welfare schemes.
Referring to key developments like the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Maha Kumbh, Yogi highlighted the unique blend of development and heritage in the state. He recalled the Saryu Canal Project, stating that although it was initiated in 1972, it took 49 years to complete and only finished under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
He highlighted the progress made in infrastructure development, stating that a network of four-lane roads has been established across the state. “Key roads, including the Gorakhpur-Nautanwa-Sonauli road and Farenda-Nautanwa road, are being converted into four-lane highways. Village roads, previously 3 meters wide, are now being expanded to 7 to 10 meters,” he said.
He said, “In the area of irrigation, millions of hectares of land have benefited from the Arjun Sahayak, Bansagar, and Saryu Canal projects. Over the last eight years, 23 lakh hectares of land have received irrigation facilities and 14 lakh farmers have been provided with free tubewell connections.”
The CM mentioned the establishment of Atal Residential Schools for the children of workers and CM Composite Schools in every development block. “During the era of previous governments, it was a time of ‘one district, one mafia’; now we are providing ‘one district, one medical college,” he said.
He said that before 2017, festivals were marked by fear, but now the rioters have stopped. He emphasised the ongoing work for farmers’ development, youth employment, women’s safety and self-reliance, alongside the control of diseases like encephalitis, dengue, and malaria.
Yogi said that Maharajganj leads the state in the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana, with 1,000 youth receiving interest-free loans. He pointed out that the district administration will focus on promoting Kala Namak rice, Shrianna, natural farming, dairy, and fisheries.
He stressed that this is a new India, where development work is carried out without discrimination. “Under the leadership of PM Modi, the country is witnessing the emergence of a new India,” he said.
He highlighted the ongoing realisation of projects like highways, expressways, dry ports, railways, waterways, metro systems and ropeways. “A dry port is being developed in Sonauli and after electricity in every household, the Har Ghar Nal Yojana is also being completed,” he said.
During the event, Yogi distributed various items to beneficiaries under several schemes, including cheques, tablets, keys, Ayushman cards, poshan potlis, pug machines and sports promotion materials. He also performed the Annaprashan Sanskar for children present at the event and handed out appointment letters to doctors and Anganwadi workers.
UNI AB KK
