After interacting with farmers and launching major road and irrigation projects in Uttar Pradesh over the past month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s next visit to the politically significant State will focus on urban development and investment.
Mr. Modi is scheduled for a two-day trip to Lucknow on July 28-29.
On the first day of his visit, the PM will launch 95 projects related to urban housing and infrastructure, and the Smart City scheme. Of these 57 projects will be related to the AMRUT Yojana, 27 for the Smart Cities scheme and 11 for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, said a govt. spokesperson.
On July 29, Mr. Modi will launch the ground-breaking ceremony of projects in U.P. worth a massive Rs.60,000 crore that was pledged by investors during the UP Investors Summit 2018 in February. The Yogi Adityanath government had claimed during the summit it had signed 1,045 MOUs with a total worth of Rs.4.28 lakh crore, a sum nearly equalling the State’s 2018-19 budget.
During his session in Lucknow, Mr. Modi will also interact directly with beneficiaries of the urban housing schemes of five districts through videoconferencing.
As the State prepares to host the mega event, Mr. Adityanath reviewed security and infrastructural preparedness on Sunday. “The CM said the event will give a new direction to the development of U.P.,” said a government spokesperson.
The government has already started a beautification and cleanliness drive in the State capital.
The Lok Sabha election may have many months to go, but Mr. Modi's heightened activity in the State indicates the BJP is already in election mode in face of a uniting Opposition.
