'24 hours on the job': Awanish Kumar Awasthi on Yogi Adityanath's contribution to UP's growth story

NEW DELHI: In the fifth edition of TOI Dialogues in Kanpur, Awanish Kumar Awasthi, adviser to the chief minister reflected on the significant transformation Uttar Pradesh has undergone since 2017 under the leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath.
“Kanpur is close to my heart,” Awasthi said while reflecting on his deep-rooted connection with the city. An alumnus of IIT-Kanpur, Awasthi said he carries a personal sentiment for the city’s future.
“What we have in Kanpur today, what we see in Kanpur today, how do we perceive what Kanpur is going to be tomorrow, how do we perceive how Kanpur is going to be in the next 5-10 years, this is the challenge before us,” he said, highlighting the pivotal role Kanpur plays in the state’s broader development agenda.
Awasthi highlighted that while the state has seen many capable leaders, Adityanath’s tenure marks a pivotal shift.
Awasthi pointed out that since 2017, Uttar Pradesh has undergone significant transformation under the leadership of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who took on the task in April of that year.
Awasthi said, "We have worked under so many chief ministers in the state and all of them had qualities which are outstanding, but I would like to say that the journey of UP in the last 7-8 years has started with the joining of the chief minister and it was he who started taking on this entire challenge of taking our state forward."
He highlighted the dynamic and hands-on approach Yogi Adityanath has brought to governance, operating like the state's "chief operating officer" and pushing projects with relentless commitment.
Awasthi attributed much of Uttar Pradesh’s progress to this continuous drive, noting that the chief minister has been on the job all the time. “UP saw drastic changes from 2017 when we have a dynamic chief minister who started operating as the chief operating officer of the state, 24 hours on the job, 24 hours putting officers on the job, 24 hours taking projects for the state and 24 hours executing these projects on the ground," he said.

Speaking on the broader achievements in the state, Awasthi pointed out that the government has been empowering farmers and expanding urban infrastructure in every corner of the state.
"We have catered to the farmers, almost 75,000 crores has been transferred to about 3 lakh farmers in our state directly through digital transformation," Awasthi detailed.
Kanpur, as one of the major cities in Uttar Pradesh, has also benefited from numerous state-led initiatives. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Uttar Pradesh has constructed 55.83 lakh houses, marking it as a leader in the country.
Awasthi also noted that Uttar Pradesh has made remarkable strides in other essential services. Under the Ujjwala Scheme, 1.75 crore gas connections have been provided, and under the Swachh Bharat mission, over 2.75 crore toilets have been constructed. Electricity access has also been expanded with 1.65 crore connections made through the Saubhagya Yojana.
“The way things have been moved forward, now we have reached almost every house in the village,” said Awasthi.
“With the target of $5 trillion economy for India in mind, the target for the state has been put at $1 trillion. I would like to state that today, UP’s GSDP is 9.2% of the entire country, which means we are almost the second largest economy in the country”, further highlighting the path forward to reach the targets.