‘One district, one mafia’ in UP replaced with 'One District, One Product': Yogi Adityanath

SAHARANPUR: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday targeted the previous Samajwadi Party government, accusing it of fostering a culture of lawlessness with its "one district, one mafia" policy, which he said has now been replaced by the ODOP initiative.
Adityanath was addressing an event here as part of the 'CM Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan' where loans were distributed to 365 entrepreneurs.
"Every district had a mafia under the previous government. We replaced that with One District, One Product so that artisans and local products get global recognition and create jobs," the chief minister said.
Without naming former chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath said, "If the leader of a state wakes up at noon, gets ready by 2 pm and then goes on picnics with his friends, when will he work? The public suffered while his associates looted the state."
Adityanath also highlighted his government's focus on connectivity, stating that efforts are underway to reduce travel time from Saharanpur to Delhi to just 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Underlining the impact of the One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme, he noted that Saharanpur's renowned wood carving industry now exports goods worth Rs 1,000 crore globally.
Criticising previous governments for neglecting artisans, the chief minister said, "Earlier, these craftsmen existed but the old governments were too busy turning them into vote banks. They never cared about providing them with better designs, technology, packaging, or export facilities."
Adityanath also underscored his government's efforts in employment generation, pointing out that during Holi, the state announced 60,244 recruitments in the police force, including many for Saharanpur youths.
He noted that over 12,000 of these police jobs were secured by women.
"From 1947 to 2017, there were only 10,000 women in Uttar Pradesh Police. In just one recruitment drive, we added over 12,000 daughters to the force," he said, adding that his administration has provided over 7 lakh government jobs so far, with no allegations of nepotism or regional bias.
The chief minister further said, "This government is here to recognise and support your hard work. It is not meant for dynastic politics where a handful of people loot power for themselves."
Encouraging young entrepreneurs, he said, "Remember, in business, one must have a sense of satisfaction, avoid unnecessary greed and have the passion to work hard. Having knowledge about the field we are entering and advancing based on that knowledge ensures that there will be no problems."
On the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said that when a double-engine government works, public welfare and national interest remain the top priorities.
He described the recently concluded Maha Kumbh as a grand event that witnessed the arrival of over 66 crore devotees in Prayagraj.
He praised the hospitality shown by the people of Prayagraj and surrounding districts, saying, "Because of the Maha Kumbh, people from different sectors found opportunities -- some started tea stalls, some sold vegetables, some offered taxi services, some ferried passengers on boats, while others supplied goods, earning crores of rupees."
"Those with a clean heart earned money too. A young man from Bulandshahr made lakhs (of rupees) through photography, delivering instant photos. Some earned by selling herbal sticks and some by selling tea. A tea stall owner said he earned Rs 50-60 lakh per day. Even those who initially questioned the crowd at the event eventually came to witness it themselves," he said.
"There were no incidents of harassment, looting, or kidnapping. Everyone who came left with a positive impression of Uttar Pradesh," he added.
This, the chief minister said, is the same Uttar Pradesh where no one wanted to invest before 2017, when the BJP came to power.
"Entrepreneurs and traders were fleeing, entire towns were deserted and families worried about their safety. Girls had to stay in hostels or with relatives to study safely, farmers faced tube well thefts and people lived in constant fear," he said.
"In the last eight years, the security for daughters, traders and common people has improved. Yes, only the mafia feel unsafe now. Those who once backed them are the ones in distress, wondering how this transformation happened," he said.
Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh was once counted among the "sick" states with its economy ranked sixth, seventh or eighth but now it is the second largest in the country.
"It won't take long for Uttar Pradesh to become the country's largest economy and reach the top position," he said.