Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his resolve to develop the State into a $1-trillion economy, saying that the country would progress only when every State moves forward with big dreams and resolutions like that of UP.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the GBC 4.0, organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow, Mr Modi said: “I have full faith in the power of UP and the hard work of the double engine government. I especially congratulate Yogiji. Every Indian is proud that UP has decided to become a $1-trillion economy. My advice to all the political parties of the country would be to leave politics and learn from UP and then enter the field with a similar resolve.”

The Prime Minister launched more than 14,000 projects worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore on the occasion. He also watched glimpses of the changing Uttar Pradesh through films screened at the event.

Emphasising that it was a time of infinite opportunities for industries in UP, he remarked: “Exports from UP have doubled in the last few years. UP is the state with the highest number of expressways and international airports in the country. The country’s first rapid rail is running here. A large network of Western and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridors passes through UP. The river network is also being used for cargo ships. Transportation has become cheaper.”

The prime minister pointed out that seven years ago, such a favourable environment for investments and creation of jobs was unimaginable because of a high crime rate and riots across the State. “Today, investment worth lakhs of crores is coming into Uttar Pradesh. Work is starting on thousands of projects in Uttar Pradesh. These industries are going to change the face of UP. In the last seven years, a red-carpet culture has replaced the red-tape culture,” he asserted.

The prime minister said that crime rate had dropped significantly in Uttar Pradesh and business culture had expanded with building of trust in the State’s capabilities. “There is optimism among all investors who have come here, which is a very positive sign. The double-engine government has shown that if one has the intention to bring about change, no one can stop it from happening.”

The prime minister said that there was unprecedented positivity about India all over the world. Referring to the visit to Qatar and the UAE, Mr Modi said that every country was confident about India’s development. “The whole world is considering India as a guarantee of better returns. It is often seen that when elections are near, people avoid new investments. But even that belief has fallen apart in Uttar Pradesh today with investors around the world reposing their trust in the government’s policies and stability.”

The prime minister said that for many decades since independence, the political dispensation’s approach towards development was selective, which left a sizeable population of the country yearning for basic facilities. “But the double-engine government has changed the old political thinking. We are engaged in making the life of every citizen easier. If life becomes easier, investing and doing business will also be easier,” he remarked.

Mr Modi added that providing benefits of government’s schemes to all the needy people, cutting across all sections of society, is social justice and secularism in the true sense, pointing out that earlier, people faced discrimination due to rampant corruption. “This is the social justice that JP (Jayaprakash Narayan) and Lohia (Ram Manohar Lohia) had dreamed of,” he stated.

The prime minister also discussed in detail the merits of Lakhpati Didi Yojana, PM Swanidhi Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and said that these schemes had increased the purchasing power of the rural and urban middle class. He described MSMEs as the strength of UP. He also discussed ODOP and PM Shram Samman Yojana, mentioning his fondness for the toys of Kashi, his Parliamentary constituency.

The prime minister said that Uttar Pradesh had the potential to become a tourism hub. “Lakhs of people are coming to Kashi and Ayodhya. This is a golden opportunity for industries related to tourism sector. The upcoming Kumbh in 2025 will be a very important occasion for the economy of UP,” he said.

Discussing solar energy, the prime minister said that PM Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme would not only provide free electricity to the countrymen, but would also become a means of earning additional electricity. Lakhs of employment opportunities will be created in this sector in installation, maintenance and supply chain.

Mr Modi added: “Just a few days ago, our government has awarded Bharat Ratna to the messiah of farmers, Chaudhary Charan Singh. Unfortunately, Congress and its allies do not understand this. Congress considers only one family to have the right on Bharat Ratna. Babasaheb (Dr B R Ambedkar) was not given Bharat Ratna for decades. These people have been giving Bharat Ratna only to their families.”

The prime minister also called upon the entrepreneurs associated with food processing sector to take the pledge to make Make-In-India products available on every dining table in the world, with special focus on the super food, millets.  “There is a good opportunity for investment in this super food. The government wants to make small farmers a big market force. As much as the farmer and the soil will benefit, the enterprises related to food processing will also benefit through its cultivation.