Yogi of progress: Adityanath breaks speed limits in UP

It was on this day that Yogi Aditynath took over as the 17th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. It has been 60 days and the state government's focus now is to fulfill all the public welfare promises that the BJP made in its manifesto. This is because only two years are left for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. After his government was formed, Yogi has been in action mode and the results are starting to show, be it in the case of the shutting down of illegal slaughter houses or anti-romeo squads being formed even when Cabinet meetings were not held.

In 60 days, the government has conducted six Cabinet meetings. The first one was in April, in which the government decided to exempt loans of up to Rs 1 lakh given to marginalised farmers, which will benefit 86 lakh farmers by August. In the case of anti-romeo squads, the CM told officials that those who roam willfully should not be harassed in the name of moral policing.

Other decisions that were taken include making roads pothole-free by June 15, no chewing of paan or tobacco in offices, making a pledge for cleanliness, forming a task force against the land mafia, and zero tolerance against corruption.

The CM also started a new tradition of presentations made by each department, in which ministers got to know about their departments and officials and agenda for the next 100 days. Ministers and officials were also asked to give details of their properties and install bio-metric machines to record timely attendance of staff. Plus, tankers were supplied and a helpline number was provided to address the water problem in Bundelkhand.

Sugarcane farmers will be provided with over Rs 6,000 crore for 2016-17. In a meeting with Niti Ayog, the CM said that UP's growth rate should be 10 per cent. He also said that the security provided to VIPs should be trimmed and those running their gangs sitting in jail should be transferred to other jails. That apart, Yogi said that the subsidy given to those going to Kailash Mansarovar should be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, and Ayodhya and Mathura should be made municipal towns. He also got the GST Bill passed in the UP Assembly and Council and reached an agreement with the Centre through which every house in UP will get electricity by 2018.

Those close to Yogi say that he is firm on his opinions and his image is that of a strict administrator. Officials hence understand what they have to do without even being told.