In a major achievement, Uttar Pradesh’s economy has more than doubled, rising from Rs 12.88 lakh crore in 2017 to Rs 27.51 lakh crore today, all without raising taxes.

The Yogi government is now ambitiously targeting an economy worth over Rs 30 lakh crore in the 2025–26 financial year.

Advertisement

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has consistently highlighted how previous governments allowed rampant corruption and looting of public wealth, leaving the state coffers empty—so much so that even paying government salaries was a struggle.

In sharp contrast, the current UP government’s commitment to good governance and transparent administration has stabilized the state’s finances and propelled Uttar Pradesh to new heights of economic prosperity.

One of UP’s most significant achievements has been shedding its “BIMARU state” image. Through relentless efforts, the Chief Minister has positioned UP as the “growth engine” of India over the past five years.

Officials here on Monday noted that although UP has always been India’s most populous state, its GSDP had only reached Rs 12.75 lakh crore from 1950 to 2017. Since then, the GSDP has more than doubled to Rs 27.51 lakh crore, with a target of Rs 30.77 lakh crore set for the current financial year.

Once mocked, Uttar Pradesh today stands tall as India’s second-largest economy, contributing 9.2 per cent to the national GDP. In 2023–24, while India’s GDP grew at 9.6 percent, UP outpaced it with an impressive growth rate of 11.6 percent.

It is worth recalling the situation before 2017, when UP struggled to pay salaries on time and development projects stalled due to chronic budgetary shortfalls.

Today, thanks to prudent fiscal management and structural reforms under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has become a revenue-surplus state for five consecutive years—all without burdening citizens with additional taxes.

The government tackled tax evasion, plugged revenue leakages, and embraced large-scale digital governance to enhance transparency. Despite having the country’s lowest diesel and petrol rates, Uttar Pradesh has continued its remarkable journey toward economic prosperity, proving that sustainable development is achievable through honest leadership and strategic planning.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has placed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India at the core of his governance priorities. As a result, Uttar Pradesh today stands as a shining example of India’s digital revolution. By December 2024, during the 2024–25 financial year, the state recorded over 1,000 crore digital transactions—more than half conducted through UPI.

This remarkable achievement has been made possible through widespread internet accessibility in villages, increased digital awareness, and the availability of internet-enabled devices across the state.

Moreover, the government’s direct transfer of funds into the bank accounts of scheme beneficiaries has dismantled the web of middlemen, significantly curbing corruption. Currently, funds for 207 schemes across 11 departments—including 113 schemes of the Central Government—are being disbursed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

In 2024–25 alone, over Rs 1 lakh crore has been transferred to more than 9 crore beneficiaries, saving the government approximately Rs 10,000 crore through DBT efficiencies.

According to the RBI’s 2024–25 state budget report, UP’s share in the own tax receipts of all Indian states was 9.9%, 10.5%, and 11.6% for the years 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25 respectively—ranking it as the second-best performing state. In these years, while the average own tax-to-GSDP ratio for other states stood at 6.5%, 7.0%, and 7.2%, UP posted higher ratios of 7.6%, 9.8%, and 10%, respectively.

Uttar Pradesh’s once crime-ridden image has been decisively overturned. Mafia networks and organized crime, which previously extorted entrepreneurs and investors, have been virtually eliminated. Today, UP has become the first choice for investors and a major contributor to India’s economic growth.

In a remarkable transformation, even temples that were once mocked by political opponents have now become pivotal to the state’s economy. Religious tourism has seen an extraordinary boom, with global tourists thronging major pilgrimage centers like Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura. The spectacular success of events like the Mahakumbh is a testament to this revival.