Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said Uttar Pradesh, once viewed through a different lens, now commands respect across the country. He said people from the state are proudly greeted with “Jai Shri Ram,” reflecting a renewed sense of self-respect, cultural pride and confidence.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath addressing an event in Gorakhpur on June 14, 2026. (HT photo)
Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 226 development projects worth ₹926 crore, the CM said Uttar Pradesh has earned recognition and respect nationwide.
“The Uttar Pradesh in which you are living today no longer faces an identity crisis. People respect you now,” Adityanath said, adding that “Today, 25 crore people of Uttar Pradesh are moving forward with pride in their identity.”
Highlighting the transformation of the state’s image and public confidence, Yogi said, “Jai Shri Ram has become a greeting of pride in Uttar Pradesh today.”
Recalling Gorakhpur’s condition before 2017, the chief minister said the city once struggled with power shortages, poor roads, recurring floods, encephalitis outbreaks, unemployment, insecurity, and inadequate public services.
“Before 2017, people across the country felt uneasy at the mention of Gorakhpur. However, in the last nine years, the district has emerged as a model of infrastructure development and entered a new era of progress,” he said.
Yogi said the city now enjoys 24-hour electricity supply, expanded road networks, improved law and order, better healthcare facilities, and increased employment opportunities. He further said that Uttar Pradesh now has the highest number of expressways in the country, providing world-class connectivity.
“The transformed Gorakhpur is a symbol of the changing Uttar Pradesh and a developed India. With new investments in healthcare, education, sports, tourism, and infrastructure, Gorakhpur is poised to emerge as a model of urban development for the nation,” he added.
The CM also launched the second phase of the State Nutrition Mission, which is expected to directly benefit nearly 2 crore children across Uttar Pradesh. Emphasising the importance of maternal and child health, Yogi said a healthy mother is essential for raising a healthy child and stressed the significance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
He said more than 4,000 women-led self-help groups are operating take home ration (THR) units across the state, producing nutritious food for pregnant women and malnourished children, while supply chains are being strengthened through cooperative agencies.
Yogi added that over 70,000 Anganwadi centres are now running pre-primary and Bal Vatika programmes, providing nutritional support, early education, and play-based learning to children.
Yogi credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enhancing India’s global standing and said the country is progressing with confidence under his leadership as he urged the people of eastern Uttar Pradesh to contribute fully to the country’s development journey.
The CM appealed to devotees observing the upcoming Somvati Amavasya to follow safety guidelines while bathing in rivers and to avoid venturing into deep waters, especially with children.
