UP’s role key to India’s $ 5 trillion goal: Niti Aayog CEO
LUCKNOW: Niti Aayog chief executive officer Amitabh Kant on Saturday said Uttar Pradesh was the heart and soul of India and played the most important role in making India a five trillion dollar economy.
Kant was in the state capital to attend a symposium on ‘Transforming Uttar Pradesh to an ideal State’ organised by the Lucknow Management Association (LMA) at the Indira Gandhi Prathisthan. Six prominent personalities of Uttar Pradesh were given the ‘LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award 2020’ on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Kant said:
“The target of achieving five trillion dollar economy is through Uttar Pradesh. And Uttar Pradesh is capable of delivering it.”
“In ease of doing business, India was at the 142nd position. We have jumped 79 positions in world rankings. But we are a large country and the states must become easier (in ease of doing business),” he added.
“In just two years, Uttar Pradesh has jumped from 23rd position to 11th rank in ease of doing business,” said Kant.
He also talked about ‘remarkable improvement’ on all parameters in eight aspirational districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The Centre has selected backward districts across the country to fast-track development there. Eight districts of the state figure in this group. They are Balrampur, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Fatehpur, Siddharth Nagarand Chitrakoot.
“All these eight districts of Uttar Pradesh have shown remarkable improvement. They have registered 55% improvement on all indicators set by the Centre,” Kant said.
The Niti Aayog CEO asserted that if Uttar Pradesh was not transformed, then India is not transformed.
“Uttar Pradesh is the heart and soul of India. If UP achieves the $ 1 trillion dollar target, then India will also become a $ 5 trillion economy,” Kant pointed out.
“It is incumbent upon the Lucknow Management Association to bring this change,” said Kant to a big round of applause from the gathering.
The CEO of Niti Ayog also said Uttar Pradesh lagged behind other states on social indicators (sustainable development goals).
“There is shortage of Asha workers, anganwadi workers and doctors at the grass root level. This has to be tackled,” said. He said education, health and nutrition made a remarkable difference in the growth trajectory of the state.
Dr Ritu Karidhal, mission director, Chandrayan 2, ISRO, who is a resident of Lucknow, stressed on education of the girl child.
“In villages, there is still discrimination when it comes of education of a girl and a boy,” Karidhal said. She stressed on the use of tele-education and telemedicine in reaching out to remote areas of the state.
SP Shukla, group president, Mahindra, stressed on creating more jobs in the state.
Siraj A Chaudhry, MD, National Collateral Management Services Limited, said: “Uttar Pradesh has the advantage of being the largest producer of food grains.”
“But for too long we have remained an agrarian economy ,” he asserted.
Dr Saurabh Srivastava, chairman, India Angel Network, said: “New jobs come from start-ups. We need to focus on Start-ups.”
Brajesh Pathak, law minister in the state government, who was the chief guest, assured all support to the LMA to propel growth in Uttar Pradesh.
Anup Chandra Pandey, former chief secretary and president LMA, chaired the event.
Navneet Sehgal, principal secretary, state government, who is president-elect of the LMA, suggested having an LMA chapter for young professionals.
AWARDEES
Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog, got the LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award (Governance).
Rajnish Kumar, chairman, SBI, LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award (Banking and Economy). (SBI officials received it on his behalf).
Siraj A Chaudhry, LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award (Agriculture).
SP Shukla, LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award (Industry).
Dr Ritu Karidhal, LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award (Space and Science).
Dr Saurabh Srivastava, LMA Pride of Uttar Pradesh Award (Entrepreneurship).