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UP Must Be Presented To World As Model State: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Addressing the session on 'Uttar Pradesh in Modernization of Rail and Road' at the Global Investment summit (GIS), the Minister for Railway and Telecom said, "UP has an important contribution in India's growth.

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Ashwini Vaishnaw
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Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said Uttar Pradesh needs to be presented as a model of development in front of the world for its contribution in the country's growth.  

Addressing the session on 'Uttar Pradesh in Modernization of Rail and Road' at the Global Investment summit (GIS), the Minister for Railway and Telecom said, "UP has an important contribution in India's growth. This is the reason why important G20 programmes are being organised in Uttar Pradesh. We have to present UP as a model in front of the world."   He said that before 2014, the state used to get Rs 1,000-1,100 crore from the rail budget, but since the Narendra Modi government came to power, this has increased by 16 times.  

On the last day of the GIS, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Rs 17,507 crore was signed between the Railways and the UP government for construction of rail infrastructure and network development. The Minister said that 150 stations in UP are being made "world-class" under the 'Amrit Bharat Mission.'

"'One station, One product' scheme has been started for people working in art and craft. Due to this, the income of the people associated with this sector has increased. Also, these products have become global from local," he said. He said investors should join the railways and set up their projects in UP without hesitation.

State Public Works Department (PWD) minister Jitin Prasada said UP has a road network of four lakh kilometres. "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a network of expressways and roads is being laid in the state. Work is underway on the 560-km Ganga Expressway. Work on 59 Railway Overbridges (ROBs) has been completed in the state," Prasada said. 

"Along with this, 250 ROBs have been identified, on which work will start soon," he added. Railway's Managing Director Ravindra Jain said that the department is building two dedicated freight corridors in the country.

"One is the west corridor and the other is the east corridor. With the construction of these freight corridors, the movement of goods trains will be smooth and time will be saved," he said.