UP on right track to become USD 1-trillion economy, has scope for faster growth: CM

Lucknow, Dec 16 (PTI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday reviewed the progress of various initiatives aimed at making Uttar Pradesh a USD 1-trillion economy, and said the state is on the right track and has the scope for accelerated growth.

The chief minister also took stock of the expenditure of various departments with respect to the budget allocation for the financial year 2025-26.

Chairing a high-level meeting here, the chief minister conducted a department-wise review and directed officials to further speed up efforts towards achieving the ambitious economic target, according to an official statement.

Officials who attended the meeting informed that Uttar Pradesh's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) stood at Rs 29.78 lakh crore, and the state's contribution to the national economy increased to 9 per cent in 2024-25 from 8.6 per cent in 2022-23.

They said that 93 per cent of the GSDP target has already been achieved under the chief minister's leadership, and efforts are on to reach a GSDP level of around Rs 42 lakh crore.

Adityanath directed ministers to ensure monthly reviews of department-specific initiatives related to the 1 trillion dollar economy goal, with fortnightly reviews by the chief secretary and weekly monitoring by additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of departments.

He stressed the need for quality reviews and timely completion of all assigned works, while also directing officers to ensure prompt disposal of files.

The chief minister also asked ministers and senior officials to maintain continuous coordination with central government officials to ensure the timely receipt of the Centre's share of funds, and directed that allocated budgets should be spent within stipulated timelines.

Highlighting the agriculture sector, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh contributed 21 per cent to the country's total foodgrain production.

Ensuring food and nutrition security while increasing farmers' income through a focused agricultural strategy was a key government objective, he said, adding that the state's agricultural growth rate remained above 13 per cent.

Also, he said road safety is a top priority for the government and directed officials to take concrete measures to reduce accidents, particularly in view of foggy conditions.

He asked the transport department to convene a comprehensive review meeting, rationalise registration fees for commercial vehicles and expand quality bus services to ensure convenient travel for the public.

On tourism, Adityanath said that under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh witnessed a record influx of tourists in recent years, with around 125 crore visitors arriving in the state till June this year.

He identified Garhmukteshwar as a major pilgrimage centre in western Uttar Pradesh, and asked officials to enhance facilities for pilgrims and tourists there.

He also called for the effective implementation of the homestay policy, steps to promote the hotel industry and the development of destination-specific tourism plans.

The chief minister directed that district-wise targets should be fixed under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana, and suggested that a portion of the financial assistance be provided in advance for purchases, with the remaining amount utilised at the time of the wedding ceremony.

He also instructed officials to expedite the establishment of digital libraries at the gram panchayat level, ensuring that the computers provided must meet the requirements.

He directed faster construction and upgradation of Anganwadi centres and called for timely and quality construction of schools being built by the state government under the basic education programme.

In the energy sector, officials said that power utilities have improved performance as a result of a reduction in power theft and technical losses.

They added that electricity generation increased through large solar projects and solar parks under the PM-KUSUM-C scheme, potentially leading to higher allocations from the Centre.

In the health sector, payments received by hospitals under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana contributed directly to sectoral growth, while an increase in bed capacity would further expand private healthcare infrastructure and value addition, officials said. PTI ABN HVA