Lucknow, Dec 26 (FN Agency) Taking a jibe at Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that those who wake up at 12 noon and mislead the people in the name of vaccine are not youths, they are ‘tired and retired’ ones. During tablets and smartphones distribution function at Bharat Ratn Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium here, Yogi said, “Those who wake up at 12 are not youth, opposing vaccine and misleading the people during corona period are not youth, they all are tired and retired. Don’t expect anything from them and believe them either.” On the occasion of the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the CM distributed free tablets and smart phones to one lakh youths from all 75 districts of the state. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu and several ministers in the Yogi government were also present on the occasion.
Yogi also felicitated Mirabai Chanu for winning the silver medal in weightlifting in Tokyo Olympics and presented a cheque of Rs 1.50 crore on the occasion. He said that before 2017 whenever the appointment process for government jobs started, members of one family used to step out of their houses and went on an extortion spree. “Earlier there used to be nepotism in recruitments, priority was given to a specific caste. But when we came to power we said that whosoever will play with the future of the youth his real place will be in the jail,” he said, Yogi said that after forming the government recruitments were done in a transparent manner and without any discrimination. “In 10 years the previous governments failed to make two lakh appointments. In four and a half years, we gave jobs to 4.5 lakh youths. We launched ‘one district, one product’ scheme and 1.61 crore youths got jobs through it. We connected 60 lakh youths with self employment,” he added. He said that today when bulldozers are moving on mafias, who used to grab properties of poor and indulged in extortion for businessmen, then those who were patronising them have lost their senses.
The CM said that his government has changed the people’s perception towards UP. “Before 2017 the situation was such that when youths from the state went outside for education or jobs, they were treated in a hey manner. But after 2017, today the perception of the people has changed,” he said. He said that before 2017 the employment rate was 18 per cent, but in our government within four and a half years the unemployment rate is merely 4 per cent. “When intentions are clear, then the concrete work is done,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “The manner in which UP is progressing under the ‘double engine’ government, it can be said that if UP would have been a country it would have ranked sixth.” He said that the tablets and smartphones being distributed to the youth today will bring a change in their lives. “Now you will get every good information of the country and the world in a second,” he said. Pradhan appreciated Yogi that government schools in UP are better than those in other states. “Here focus has been given on better education and facilities have been increased. In UP, the standard of education has been lifted,” he said.