Ram Lalla's arrival in Ayodhya heralds an era of end to criminal activities in Uttar Pradesh: CM Yogi

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 7 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, said that the arrival of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya heralds an era of an end to the criminal activities in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing farmers at the 'Sankalp Se Siddhi' program, marking the provision of free electricity to farmers at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Gomti Nagar, he said, "In Uttar Pradesh, everything is being done in the name of Lord Ram, so there is no need for farmers to worry."
He remarked, "This is the same Uttar Pradesh where before 2017, farmers were not safe, their crops were not secure, there was no electricity, no respect for farmers, no availability of seeds, fertilizers, and water. But today, under the leadership of PM Modi, the government is always ready to take care of farmer's interests."
Addressing farmer and farmer union members from across the state, the Chief Minister said that today the double engine government is working to realize the Prime Minister's vision through this program of electricity bill waiver. He congratulated the farmers and extended good wishes for their future endeavours.
CM Yogi further said, "Today, the state's Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, Energy Minister, Chief Secretary, Electricity Department officials, and leaders of the farmer union are all present here. It is rare to see such a gathering.
The Chief Minister further said that Uttar Pradesh is the heartland of the country, endowed with the world's most fertile land and the best water resources.
"Besides, the farmers are hardworking and dedicated. It is the result of their hard work and dedication that Uttar Pradesh is number one in foodgrain production in the country", he stated.
"All of this was there before, we had the capability, but farmers were neglected by the previous governments. Farmers were never a part of the government's agenda. However, after the advent of the double-engine government in the state, the results of the initiatives started today are evident before us. Today, we are all here to give new heights to the same efforts", CM Yogi added.
The Chief Minister mentioned that as many as 1,478,591 farmers in the state have private tube wells. Among these, 1,348,093 private tube wells have a power capacity of 10 horsepower or less. There are 128,944 tube wells with a capacity of 10 to 15 horsepower. Similarly, 8,923 tube wells have a capacity of more than 15 horsepower. All these are being linked with the bill waiver scheme, he pointed out.
"We have implemented the scheme with retrospective effect from April 1, 2023. For this, the government allocated a budget of Rs 1500 crore last year, and this time, a provision of Rs 2400 crore has been made. We express our gratitude to the farmers. We have fulfilled the promise made to them," the Chief Minister said.
On this occasion, CM Yogi urged farmers to join the PM-KUSUM Yojana. He mentioned that under this scheme, farmers can install solar panels on tube wells to generate electricity. "After using the electricity they need, the remaining power can be sold back to the government. This not only provides additional income for farmers but also helps fulfil their electricity needs. Subsidies are being provided by the Agriculture and Energy Departments for this initiative", he pointed out.
"Efforts should be made to connect approximately 1,478,000 farmers in the state with the PM-KUSUM Yojana on a priority basis. This will directly benefit around 65 lakh members of nearly 15 lakh farmer families in the state," CM Yogi added.
CM Yogi Adityanath further mentioned that the Prime Minister's intention behind the PM-KUSUM Yojana is to ensure that farmers become self-reliant and prosperous by 2047 to realize the dream of 'Viksit Bharat'. "As long as our farmers are not happy, India cannot be prosperous", he asserted.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the double-engine government prioritizes the welfare of farmers.
"After coming to power in 2017, our first step was to waive the loan of Rs 36,000 crore of 86 lakh farmers", he said.
He also extended advanced greetings to the farmers for Mahashivratri and Holi.
On this occasion, Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Energy Minister AK Sharma, Minister of State for Agriculture Baldev Singh Aulakh, Minister of State for Energy Somendra Tomar, Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary Energy Department Mahesh Kumar Gupta, State President of BJP Kisan Morcha Kameshwar Singh and a large number of farmers and other dignitaries from across the state were present. (ANI)