Gorakhpur, Dec 10 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that over the years there has been a deliberate attempt to malign the image of Purvanchal by dubbing it as a backward and laggard region.
Academia also put its stamp on it to escape answerability.
"We have reversed the perception and committed to make eastern UP as the most prosperous region of the country," he said while inaugurating the three webinar-cum-seminar for intensive brainstorming on the development of Purvanchal in Deen Dayal Upadhyay University campus here.
The event has been organised jointly by the UP planning department and DDU on the 'Sustainable Development of Purvanchal: Issues, Strategy and Future Course of Action' and is spread over 45 sessions. It will be attended by the Chief minister, several ministers, development experts, researchers and other stakeholders.
The Chief Minister said this region has everything to offer -- nine kinds of climate, the most fertile land in the world, abundant human resources, adequate water and flowing rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Saryu and others.
"On the basis of such existing resources, we have resolved to turn this region into the most developed and most prosperous region of the country," he said adding that "this will not be done by Harvard or Cambridge but will have to be carried out by us with the help of youths, farmers and local artisans."
Referring to One District, One Product (ODOP), one of the unique schemes of the country, he said that every district has at least one unique speciality like Banarasi Silk of Varanasi, Carpet of Bhadohi, Black Pottery of Azamgarh, Brassware of Moradabad and Kala Namak rice of Siddharta Nagar.
"We have embarked upon to develop, promote and market these products under ODOP to realise the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said while asserting it has already become the most popular scheme in the country.
The Chief Minister, without mincing words, underlined the urgency to achieve his goal, saying that the need of the hour is not to create 'white elephants' or formulate policies while sitting in air-conditioned chambers. "We need to make policies as per the local requirements and in consultation with the local talent and expertise," he said.
He added that the state government has ensured good law and order, world class infrastructure and an effective policy backup to provide all the logistics to reach the summit of progress, growth and prosperity.