CM Yogi inaugurates 176 development projects worth Rs 116 cr

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 28 (ANI): Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that the government is working on a minimum wage guarantee for sanitation workers across Uttar Pradesh, adding that a committee has already been formed in this regard and concrete action will be taken soon, an official statement said.
Addressing the 'Safai Mitra Suraksha aur Samman Sammelan' at the Abhaynandan Inter College ground, CM Yogi announced that along with the minimum wage, "arrangements for housing and welfare schemes for sanitation workers will also be ensured."
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also inaugurated or laid the foundation stones for as many as 176 development projects worth Rs 116 crore for Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation. Besides, he launched the e-service portal and a welfare fund for sanitation workers. He also announced an accident insurance facility of up to Rs 10 lakh for sanitation workers, It added.
CM Yogi distributed checks to the dependents of four Safai Mitras from the Welfare Fund, in addition to uniforms and lunch boxes for sanitation workers and vehicle drivers. He also flagged off door-to-door garbage collection vehicles.
CM Yogi remarked, "The soul of beauty lies in cleanliness. No matter how beautiful we make the city or how wide the roads are, if there is no cleanliness, all the efforts go in vain. So, we must respect the workers who are dedicated to ensuring cleanliness."
He further stated that sanitation workers should not only receive a minimum wage guarantee but also residential facilities. He pointed out that they should benefit from schemes such as ration cards, health insurance coverage, and Ujjwala, lauding the initiatives of the Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation in this context.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath informed that Gorakhpur's ranking in the cleanliness survey has improved from 74 to 22 with the efforts of the sanitation workers. "Gorakhpur has received a three-star ranking in the garbage-free city category. Gorakhpur is now recognised as a good and beautiful city. It is counted among the best cities in the country. The maximum credit for this achievement should go to the sanitation workers," he stated further.
He added: "We should work together to improve the cleanliness ranking even further. Our target should be to be among the 10 cleanest cities in the next survey and among the top three eventually. To achieve this, public awareness needs to be increased."
The Chief Minister directed councillors to form the 'Parshadgan Mohalla Swachhta Committee' and raise awareness among people regarding not throwing garbage on the roads or in drains and to treat sanitation workers with respect.
At the program venue, the Chief Minister inspected stalls of the Municipal Corporation, Child Development Services and Nutrition Department, National Urban Livelihood Mission, and others. During this, he conducted an Annaprashan for babies and a baby shower for pregnant women. The Chief Minister gifted toys to the babies, it added. (ANI)