Lucknow, Oct 27 (HS): It was once difficult for girls to attend school in Uttar Pradesh. In many districts of western Uttar Pradesh, families were forced to send their daughters to other states for education. Today, those same girls are returning home fearlessly after completing their duties, even at 2 a.m. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made these remarks while addressing a media organization's Youth Icon Conclave in the capital, Lucknow, on Tuesday. He noted the changes in the state's law and order situation.

Chief Minister Yogi said that nine and a half years ago, Uttar Pradesh faced two major crises: identity and security. People were forced to hide their identities when traveling outside the state, and security concerns plagued them within the state. Today, Uttar Pradesh is recognized for its talented youth, industries, and achievements. At the event, 37 youth icons from various fields, including sports, entrepreneurship, art, culture, social work, and digital creation, were honored. Chief Minister Yogi congratulated them all and said that their success will inspire millions of young people to move forward.

The story of changed Uttar Pradesh told in eight frames: Chief Minister Yogi, citing the example of the 'before and after' reel popular on social media, narrated the story of Uttar Pradesh changing in nine and a half years in eight frames. In the first frame, the identity of the state and law and order, in the second, opportunity based on merit instead of recommendation in government recruitments, in the third, government jobs for sportspersons and in the fourth, the matter of becoming an employer for the youth was discussed. In the fifth frame, modern technology, in the sixth, economy, investment and infrastructure, in the seventh, faith and employment from tourism and in the eighth frame, the role of youth in building a developed India was highlighted. The Chief Minister said that this journey of Uttar Pradesh is also the story of change in the faith and opportunities of the youth.

Daughters return home fearlessly even at 2 o'clock in the night: Chief Minister Yogi said that before 2017, families in many districts of western Uttar Pradesh were worried about the safety of their daughters. Well-off families used to send their daughters to other states for education, whereas for the daughters of poor families, even going to school was a challenge. He gave the example of women employees of HCL in Lucknow. He said that women from Barabanki, Unnao and Sitapur come to work in night shifts. During a recent conversation with them, he asked if they face any problem in returning home at night. The women said that even after finishing their duty at 2 o'clock in the night, they return home fearlessly. The Chief Minister cited this as an example of the change in law and order.

Chief Minister Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh was once dominated by criminals and the mafia. Now, the mafia has been wiped out, and criminals are selling bananas. He said that previously, the situation was like One District, One Mafia, whereas today, One District, One Product is recognizing each district's unique product. There are 9.6 million MSME units in the state, employing more than 32.5 million people. The government is also providing a security insurance cover of five lakh rupees.

I received the appointment letter without giving any exam: Citing the example of the recruitment system prior to 2017, the Chief Minister said that after the government was formed, a case of appointment came to light in which the person concerned had neither applied nor taken the exam, yet he received an appointment letter. He alleged that earlier appointments were dominated by recommendations and financial transactions. Now, selection is based on merit. Nine and a half lakh government appointments have been made in nine and a half years.

The Chief Minister stated that the goal is to provide government jobs to one lakh more youth in the next six months. Appointment letters will be issued to approximately four and a half thousand sub-inspectors next week. The recruitment process for more than 32,000 police constables has been completed. He also mentioned the appointments being made through the Home Guard and various recruitment commissions.

1400 players got government jobs: Chief Minister Yogi said that the state government has made arrangements to appoint athletes to government service based on their medals. So far, approximately 1,400 athletes have been given government jobs. Citing the examples of Parul Chaudhary, Rajkumar Pal, and Lalit Upadhyay, he said that athletes who win medals for the country are receiving both respect and employment in the state. The government's message is to bring medals to the country and secure a position in Uttar Pradesh.

Chief Minister's Youth Entrepreneur Scheme becomes government shark tank: The Chief Minister said that before 2017, there were only 120 startups in the state, which has now grown to 25,000. A fund of Rs. 1,000 crore has been created. Under the Chief Minister's Youth Entrepreneur Scheme, there is a provision for providing interest-free and guarantee-free loans to 100,000 youth annually. Calling it the government's own shark tank, he said that youth do not even have to contribute their equity. He reported that the number of employees at HCL's Lucknow campus has increased from approximately 100 to 12,500. The company has advertised for the recruitment of 6,000 more youth. The BrahMos project has employed 500 youth from the state. The state government has also received Rs. 35 crore in GST from the sale of missiles.

Chief Minister Yogi stated that the cabinet approved a new cybersecurity headquarters on Tuesday. Work is underway on an AI city in Lucknow, drone technology in Kanpur, and robotics in Noida. He said that AI can make decisions, but humans must be the decision makers. The Chief Minister noted that the state's economy has grown from Rs. 12 lakh crore to Rs. 36 lakh crore and that investment proposals worth Rs. 50 lakh crore have been received. He added that the expansion of expressways, airports, and other infrastructure in the state has created new employment opportunities.

Faith and tourism are also driving the local economy: Chief Minister Yogi said that when India celebrates its centenary of independence in 2047, today's youth will be leading in various fields. Therefore, they must prepare for the future through their talent and hard work from now on. While raising awareness among the youth about voting, he said that registering on the voter list and casting a vote is not only a right but also a democratic duty. Along with their rights, young people should also be aware of their responsibilities.

37 youth icons honoured: At the event, the media organization honored 37 youth icons who have achieved remarkable achievements in various fields, including sports, entrepreneurship, arts, culture, social work, and digital creation. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated them all and said that their success will serve as an inspiration to millions of young people.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi