Lucknow, Oct 29 (IANS): In an effort to bring a smile on the faces of small vendors and help them revive their business, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has launched the 'Vikas Deepotsav' fair on Diwali.

The Chief Minister, who inaugurated the event here on Thursday night, called it an attempt to bring "smiles to the faces of people from the lower strata of society who suffered the most during the pandemic crisis".

He said his government was a pro-commoner government and felicitated street vendors, cleanliness staff and Covid warriors on the occasion.

"The aim of organising the Diwali fest is to bring business to these people. More than 1,500 street vendors and other small traders/artisans have been roped in for the fest in order to bring smiles on their faces this Diwali. A similar fest is being organised at around 217 places in Uttar Pradesh, including 200 Nagar Palikas."

He further pointed out that "no previous government has felicitated street vendors and traders on such a grand platform because they were insensitive towards them".

"In our regime, around 8 lakh street vendors have been felicitated with Rs 10,000 loan under the PM Swanidhi Yojna, around 45 lakh families have been provided accommodations, 2.61 crore people given toilets, 1.41 crore people got free electricity connections while 1.51 lakh families were given free gas connections under the Ujjwala scheme," Adityanath added.

He said that on November 3, over 9 lakh earthen lamps would be lit in Ayodhya to mark 'Deepotsav'.

The Chief Minister said while other countries were still grappling with Covid and lockdowns, the situation was under control in Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the inaugural function was marked by a grand laser show and Gomti 'aarti'.

The venue has around 1,500 stalls and a food court where people can relish Avadhi cuisines.