The Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, said the state, which was plagued by “riots and anarchy” six years ago, has undergone a significant turnaround. He also said efforts to restore law and order have paid off, leading to a remarkable achievement at the February 2023 Global Investors Summit, where the state attracted investment proposals totalling Rs 38 lakh crore.

Adityanath said this while inaugurating the 20,067 square metre extensive dairy and dairy products project built at a cost of Rs 114 crore in Sector 26 of Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority, on Monday. The CM said, “Six years ago, Uttar Pradesh was grappling with riots and a state of anarchy, resulting in a deteriorating law and order situation in which no investor was ready to invest in the state.” He said that upon taking office, his government’s priority was to restore law and order.

“We made necessary reforms for ease of doing business and connected the youth to the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The result of this is that the state received investment proposals worth Rs 38 lakh crore in the Global Investors Summit held in February 2023,” he added.

The chief minister highlighted that, because of his government’s efforts, over 1.10 crore youths in the state will get direct job opportunities, eliminating the need for them to seek employment outside of Uttar Pradesh. Their energy and talent combined with the state’s development will lead Uttar Pradesh to become the nation’s leading economy.

Referring to the newly inaugurated dairy project, the CM said, “This dairy will require five lakh litres of milk, indirectly benefiting one lakh families, providing direct employment to 300 people, and engaging another 1,500 individuals in the plant’s operation.”

The CM highlighted the recent surge of investments in GIDA, driven by companies such as Gallant, Ankur TMX, Varun Beverages, PepsiCo, Keon Industries, and Tatva Plastics. This wave of investment has ushered in a new era of development, particularly in eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Gorakhpur, by creating fresh employment prospects.

CM Yogi said, “Earlier, GIDA was limited to some villages of Sahjanwa. Today we are expanding it to Dhulia. The Gorakhpur Link Expressway is being connected to the Purvanchal Expressway. Industrial units will be established near both expressways. This will create a lot of jobs and employment opportunities.”

He stressed the importance of ensuring that entrepreneurs investing in the region face no adversities, emphasizing the need to provide local youth with appropriate training programmes. This includes linking students from ITIs, polytechnics, and degree colleges with certificate and diploma courses to meet industry requirements.

Adityanath stated that the happiness of the state’s youth is the key to societal well-being, and the happiness of the society is the route to the state’s prosperity.

Before his address, the CM conducted an inspection of the milk product plant. He also honoured five employees for their commendable contributions to its operations.