Ganga Expressway worth ₹ 4200 cr completed sans bank loan: CM Yogi

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed appointment letters to newly selected employees in the Cooperative Societies and Panchayat Audit Department

In the last nine years, Uttar Pradesh has transformed from a ‘BIMARU’ state to a revenue surplus state; financial discipline and better management have tripled the economy, budget and per capita income

Lucknow’s incomplete JPNIC project is an example of financial irregularities and mismanagement

Lucknow, May 04: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh today has the capacity to complete even major infrastructure projects with its own financial resources. The construction of the nearly 600-kilometer Ganga Expressway, one of the country’s longest expressways, was completed without bank loans. It cost more than Rs 36,000 crore. Nine industrial and logistics hubs are being developed along the expressway, for which approximately 7,000 acres of additional land has been acquired. More than ₹42,000 crore has been spent on the entire project, including the industrial clusters and logistics hubs. This situation was not the case before 2017; the state was considered “BIMARU.” No bank or financial institution was willing to lend to the state. However, now Uttar Pradesh is a “revenue surplus state.”

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was addressing the appointment letter distribution ceremony for auditors held at Lok Bhavan on Monday. On this occasion, the Chief Minister distributed appointment letters to 371 newly selected auditors for the Cooperative Societies and Panchayat Audit Department and 129 newly selected auditors for the Local Fund Audit Department.

Chief Minister said that when we formed the government in 2017, the treasury was empty. We had to fulfill our election promises, but not a single bank chairman or CMD was willing to answer my call. This meant that Uttar Pradesh would not receive loans. This was the image our state had been portrayed as. During that difficult period, we decided that instead of relying on banks and financial institutions, we would increase our own resources, strengthen financial discipline, and set an example of better financial management. We proved this. Had we not practiced financial management, led to reckless spending, unbudgeted funds being distributed like freebies, and unnecessary loans without financial discipline, the people of Uttar Pradesh would be burdened with a heavy debt burden today.

He said that the Finance Department’s team, including local accounts and Panchayat auditors, worked together as an internal unit and played a key role in building a strong financial structure. The result was that Uttar Pradesh not only became a revenue surplus state, but also succeeded in tripling the state’s economy, per capita income, and budget. The Chief Minister said that numerous banks and financial institutions had lined up to provide funding for the Ganga Expressway project, but the government clarified that Uttar Pradesh has changed and is capable of completing major projects on its own. They have also succeeded in reducing the debt incurred by previous governments.

Chief Minister said that today Uttar Pradesh is counted among the top three economies in the country, whereas previously it was among the bottom three. Now, every investor and financial institution wants to invest in the state. The Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) project, which began in Lucknow before 2017 during the Samajwadi Party government, was estimated to cost ₹200 crore but has escalated to ₹860 crore, and yet the project remains incomplete. This is a serious example of financial indiscipline and mismanagement. It is a misuse of public funds and an insult to the name of a great man. 

Chief Minister said that before 2017, the state’s excise revenue was only ₹12,000 crore, which has now risen to ₹62,000-63,000 crore. This increase was due to the reduction of leakages. These leakages were not due to technical flaws, but rather, to the plundering of state revenue by politicians and certain individuals within the government machinery. Funds that should have been invested in development were being misused and looted. This was the situation in almost every sector.

Chief Minister stated that the prerequisite for self-reliance is financial discipline and effective management. Gram Panchayats, Nagar Panchayats, Nagar Palikas, Municipal Corporations, Kshetra Panchayats, and Zila Panchayats are all cornerstones of development. To realize the dream of a developed Uttar Pradesh, a strong financial structure must be established at both the village and city levels. It is crucial to instill financial discipline and management skills in local bodies and Panchayats. The role of internal audit is crucial in this direction. Not a single person among the newly selected candidates has provided any kind of recommendation. The recruitment process is conducted in such a confidential manner that even I, the Finance Minister, or the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) are unaware of it. The Chairman of the Subordinate Services Selection Commission is present at the event, but no one would know that the entire recruitment process was conducted with transparency under his leadership.

Chief Minister stated that prior to 2017, paper leaks were common in medical and engineering entrance exams, as well as exams for various commissions and police recruitment. At that time, the uncle-nephew culture prevailed, and lists of recommendations came from various levels. Where there were 50 positions, 75 people were recruited, leading to disputes and court cases. Young people suffered. In the current system, qualified candidates from every religion, caste, and region have received equal opportunities. Today, a Sikh youth from Gorakhpur and a Muslim woman from Lucknow have also been selected, which is proof that selections are made on the basis of merit without any discrimination. Our policy is zero tolerance towards crime and criminals, as well as corruption and corrupt individuals.

Chief Minister said that the participation of girls in the state is continuously increasing. Of the 371 candidates selected for the Cooperative Society and Panchayat Audit Examinations, 78 are women, while 25 of the 124 candidates selected for the Local Fund Audit Examination have secured positions. A fair and transparent recruitment process is the reason a large number of young people are finding employment. So far, more than 900,000 people have been given government jobs in the state. Appointment letters are being distributed continuously, and this is the fourth or fifth such event in the past month. No one can question the transparency of these recruitments. Our government’s policies have provided employment to approximately 30 million people in the MSME sector. Youth and women are being promoted through various schemes, including “Drone Didi,” “Lakhpati Didi,” “BC Sakhi,” dairy production, PM Startup, PM Standup, and the Chief Minister’s Youth Entrepreneur Scheme.

Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Deepak Kumar, Finance Secretary Sandeep Kaur, and Chairman of the Subordinate Services Selection Commission SN Sabat were present on the occasion.