Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

ONE YEAR OF YOGI GOVT

Portal to check corruption, announces beginning of recruitmen­t for four lakh government jobs and lifting of royalty on digging soil for brick kilns

- Umesh Raghuvansh­i uraghuvans­hi@hindustant­imes.com ▪

Governor Ram Naik, CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Dinesh Sharma (extreme left) pose with artistes at a programme to mark the first anniversar­y of the UP government on Monday. On the occasion, Yogi launched a portal to check corruption and announced the beginning of recruitmen­t for four lakh government jobs.

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday marked the completion of one year of his government by rolling out its agenda for the coming year, with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The chief minister launched a portal to check corruption, announced the beginning of recruitmen­t for four lakh government jobs and lifting of royalty on digging soil for brick kiln owners to bring down cost of constructi­on material in Uttar Pradesh, at a function at Lok Bhawan here.

“This is yet another effort of the state government to check corruption. We had introduced use of GeM portal for government purchases…. We have begun the process for recruitmen­t on four lakh government jobs in 64 department­s,” Yogi said.

He referred to how a monkey had set Ravana’s “Corrupt Lanka” on fire, to make a point about his government’s commitment to fight corruption.

The BJP’s defeat in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats by BSP supported Samajwadi Party candidates was probably on top of his mind as he made a spree of announceme­nts that include making digging and transporta­tion of soil from own land royalty-free for farmers.

He said brick kiln owners would also not be charged any royalty, if they brought down the prices of bricks.

Yogi said district officers should ensure that the poor were not deprived of their land in the government’s drive against illegal possession­s.

“The poor should be given land on lease in such cases and he would personally

› The law and order situation was at its lowest ebb and there were two riots in a week in the state earlier. A change has taken place and the state’s law and order situation is now becoming a norm for other states YOGI ADITYANATH, chief minister

monitor this,” said Yogi.

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya set tone and tenor for the programme by giving a terse message to the officers that the party workers should not be ignored under any circumstan­ces.

“We all are here because of Bharatiya Janata Party workers. Officers should keep this in mind that they are top priority of this government,” said Maurya.

The chief minister, along with governor Ram Naik, released an 80-page booklet titled “Ek Saal Nai Misaal” focusing on his government’s achievemen­ts in the past one year. A short film with the same title was screened for the audience that also saw performanc­es of folk artistes both inside and outside the auditorium to give occasion a festive look.

Yogi also used the occasion to tell people how the state witnessed anarchy and ‘’goonda raj’ during the previous regime and that he was seeking a change.

“UP has been known for ‘goonda raj’ (previous regime). The political scenario here has been dominated by dynastic, caste and divisive politics. The law and order situation was at its lowest ebb and there were two riots in a week in the state earlier. A change has taken place and the state’s law and order is now becoming a norm for other states,” he said.

A year was not, however, sufficient time to evaluate performanc­e of any government, he said.

“When my government took over, the coffers were empty. There were no funds to pay salaries to government employees. There was anarchy in state and the youth were committing suicide. Recruitmen­ts had been banned by courts and investors were also fleeing the state… Our government waived crop loans of up to ₹1 lakh of the state’s 86 lakh small and marginal farmers, ” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma targeted the opposition for not allowing debate in the state legislatur­e.

 ?? SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT ?? ▪
SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT ▪
 ?? SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT ?? ▪ CM Yogi Adityanath at the first anniversar­y of the BJP govt at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Monday .
SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT ▪ CM Yogi Adityanath at the first anniversar­y of the BJP govt at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Monday .
 ?? SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT PHOTOS ?? ▪ Artistes performing during a cultural programme organised on the occasion.
SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT PHOTOS ▪ Artistes performing during a cultural programme organised on the occasion.

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