Addressing the Viksit Bharat Viksit Uttar Pradesh program in Lucknow on Monday, prime minister Narendra Modi launched 14,000 projects across the state, worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore at the fourth groundbreaking ceremony of UP Global Investors Summit held in February 2023. The projects relate to sectors like manufacturing, renewable energy, IT & ITes, food processing, housing & real estate, hospitality and entertainment, and education.

Addressing the gathering, the PM said that today’s organisation is a step towards the resolution of Viksit Bharat through the development of Viksit Uttar Pradesh, an official release said.

Pointing out the high crime rates in Uttar Pradesh earlier, the PM lauded the atmosphere of positivity in the state regarding investments and employment opportunities. “Today, Uttar Pradesh is witnessing investments worth lakhs of crores of rupees,” he said, expressing delight with the state’s progress since he is also an MP from Varanasi. Speaking about the development projects of today, he said that it will change the face of Uttar Pradesh, and congratulated the investors as well as the youth.

Noting the seven years of “double-engine government” in Uttar Pradesh, the PM said that in this period ‘red carpet culture’ has replaced ‘red tape culture’. “In the last 7 years an atmosphere of business, development and trust has developed in Uttar Pradesh.” He noted doubling of exports from the state during this period. He also praised the state’s strides in electricity generation and transmission. “Today, UP is a state with the maximum number of expressways, and international airports in the country. It is the state where the country’s first rapid rail is running.” He pointed to the presence of a big chunk of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways in the state. Acknowledging the use of river waterways in the state, Modi praised the connectivity and ease of travel in the state.

The PM underlined that today’s development projects are not being assessed in terms of investment alone, but they present a holistic vision for a better future and a ray of hope for investors. Recalling his recent visit to UAE and Qatar, he noted the unprecedented positivity towards India all around the globe and said that every nation feels assurance and trust in India’s growth story. “Even though ‘Modi ki guarantee’ is being widely discussed around the country today, the world is seeing India as a guarantee for better returns,” he said.

Reaffirming the belief of investors, Modi said that India has broken the trend of governments drifting away from investments when elections are knocking on the doors. “Investors around the globe trust the government’s policies and stability,” he remarked, noting the emergence of a similar trend in Uttar Pradesh.

The PM underscored the need for new thinking and direction for Viksit Bharat. He said that the earlier approach of keeping the citizens at a bare minimum existence and regional imbalance was not suitable for the development of the nation. Uttar Pradesh, he said, also suffered due to this approach. Now, he pointed out that the double-engine government is involved in making the life of every family as ease of living leads to ease of doing business. He said as 4 crore pucca houses were constructed under PM Awas, urban middle-class families were also provided assistance of Rs 7 thousand crore to realize their dream of owning a house. Through this, he informed, 25 lakh beneficiary families, including 1.5 lakh families from UP, received rebates in interest. Income tax reforms like raising the limit of exemption from 2 lakh in 2014 to 7 lakh now have helped the middle class.

Highlighting the government’s equal emphasis on Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business, the PM said that the “double-engine government” strives to make every benefit available for every beneficiary. He touched upon the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra which has benefitted lakhs of people from Uttar Pradesh by taking the benefits to the doorsteps of beneficiaries.

“Modi ki guarantee vehicle has reached almost all villages and cities,” he said. The PM emphasised that the saturation of government schemes constitutes the truest form of social justice. “This is true secularism,” Modi said, pointing out the prevalence of corrupt practices and disparity during the previous government which led to tedious processes for the beneficiaries. “Modi’s guarantee that the government will not rest till every beneficiary gets what they deserve, be it pucca homes, electricity supply, gas connection or tapped water,” Modi added.

He reiterated “Modi is looking after those who were ignored by all earlier”. Elaborating on such segments, he gave the example of the assistance worth Rs 10,000 crore to street vendors under the PM SVANidhi scheme. In UP, about 22 lakh street vendors received the benefits. He mentioned that beneficiaries of the scheme experienced 23,000 worth of extra annual income. He also informed that 75 percent beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi are from SC, ST, backward or tribal communities with half of them being women. He said that this is the social justice of Jai Prakash Narain and Ram Manohar Lohiya's dreams.

The PM touched upon the strength of the small, micro and cottage industries of Uttar Pradesh and mentioned the expansion and support that was provided to the MSME sector of the state along with the benefits of projects like defence corridor. He further pointed out that local products of every district are being strengthened under One District One Product scheme. Similarly, the Rs 13,000 crore PM Vishwakarma scheme will connect lakhs of Vishwakarma families of UP with modern practices.

“UP has the potential to become India's largest tourism hub,” he said, noting that every person in the country wants to visit Varanasi and Ayodhya today drawing lakhs of visitors and tourists. Due to this, the PM said, unprecedented opportunities are being created for small entrepreneurs, airline companies and hotel-restaurant owners here in UP.

Modi also touched upon UP’s improved local, national and international connectivity and highlighted the recently initiated world's longest cruise service via Varanasi.  He further added that Kumbh Mela is also going to be organized in 2025 making it very important for the state’s economy. He said that a large number of jobs are going to be created here in the tourism and hospitality sector in the coming times.