Gorakhpur, Apr 29 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that before 2014, the central government had no real agenda for national development.

While addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a Garbage Transfer Station (GTS) of the Municipal Corporation in Chargawan, the CM said, "Similarly, before 2017, the UP government had no concern for the welfare of the common people. Their only agenda was vote bank politics. The consequences of such narrow-minded governance are visible to all in the form of the hardships faced by both the country and the state."

He said that the work being done across the country since 2014 and in UP since 2017 to improve the quality of life for every citizen, aligned with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, could have been undertaken earlier. "But those in power back then lacked both the vision and the will to act. When a government is centred on dynastic interests, it is futile to expect meaningful change," he said.

Extending greetings to the public on the occasions of Akshaya Tritiya and Lord Parshuram Jayanti, Yogi said, "To realise any vision, what's required is not just intent, but honest effort, strong willpower and coordinated teamwork. Where the system revolves around family interests, all else becomes secondary."

Reflecting on the past, he said, "Earlier, garbage used to block drains, causing water logging and filth across roads. Such neglect allowed mosquitoes to breed and led to the spread of diseases like encephalitis, dengue and malaria. When disease and disorder thrive, the mafia finds fertile ground."

The CM said that before 2017, Gorakhpur's identity was associated with filth, illness and mafia rule. "Today, the same Gorakhpur is setting benchmarks in solid and liquid waste management," he said.

Highlighting the turnaround, he said that over 50,000 innocent lives were lost to encephalitis between 1977 and 2017. "Since the formation of the double-engine government in 2017, encephalitis has been completely controlled. The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched by PM Modi in October 2014, played a vital role in this achievement," he said.

He said that the lives of thousands of children have been saved and their future secured. "To protect people from disease and ensure a clean environment, we've built toilets in every home, implemented door-to-door garbage collection and provided tap water to households across the state," he said.

Yogi said that Gorakhpur is emerging as a model city for waste management and sustainable development. He highlighted several innovative initiatives being undertaken in the city.

He said, "Construction waste is now being recycled into tiles and a 500-ton-per-day waste-to-charcoal plant is being set up in Suthani. The newly built GTS in Chargawan, with a capacity of 200 tons per day, will manage waste from 40 municipal wards. A similar facility has also been set up in Laldighi," he said.

Recalling past challenges, the CM said, "There was a time when a single spell of rain would leave the city waterlogged, breeding mosquitoes and spreading diseases like encephalitis. People lived in fear after June 15 each year."

He said that a comprehensive action plan is being implemented under the current administration to eliminate water logging. "The Godhaniya Nala Project is progressing rapidly and will soon be completed, ensuring smooth movement and a cleaner, healthier environment for residents," he said.

Taking a dig at previous governments, Yogi said, "The old halogen lights were just like the electricity supply during the Samajwadi Party regime, flickering and unreliable."

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