People's faith in democracy has increased, says Akhilesh Yadav

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who on Friday completed one year in office, claimed that his government has created 'path for permanent development' of the state and people's faith in democracy has increased.

"We can claim that in the last one year we have created path for the permanent development of the state. The government has worked in every sector and taken the state forward," Akhilesh said in Lucknow on the occasion of the Samajwadi Party government's first anniversary.

"In the last one year I feel that people's faith in democracy has increased. They are realising that when a government is elected in democracy and the promises it makes it can fulfil them," he said.

He said that SP has made people realise that it was their government and added that in its first year the government has done important works for change in industrial, agricultural, health, education, law and order and women empowerment sectors.

Villages, poor and farmers were the government's priority and 74 per cent on the budget presented recently was dedicated to them, he said.

The CM claimed that the government was successful in implementing several important promises made in the manifesto without any discrimination.

Speaking on law and order situation in the state he said that the concrete measures would be taken and compromise on this front will not be done.

"The government admit that whatever its achievements are if one incident takes place, achievements take a backseat. I assure you that we will improve law and order situation. If law and order situation deteriorates it will also affect the image of the government, therefore we will not compromise on this front," he said.

Highlighting his government's achievements he said that several prominent personalities visited UP in the last one year.

"President Pranab Mukherjee came here, World Bank president, Bill Gates and his wife Milinda Gates visited the state. People came for the USIBC summit," he said.

Akhilesh said that the government's objective was that per capita income of the people increases and to make them prosperous.

He claimed that the government fulfilled its promises of loan waiver for farmers, free irrigation water, kanya vidyadhan, unemployment allowance and free laptops.

The CM said that as promised in the manifesto the government would implement recommendations of Sachar Committee and Rangnath Commission, besides creating pressure on the Centre.

He said that the government would give reservation and other facilities to Muslims in a manner that there was no constitutional hurdle.

In a reply to a question Akhilesh said that as promised the government was in favour of release of Muslim youngsters falsely implicated in terror cases and has withdrawn some of them.

Regarding the demand of family members of CRPF jawan Awadh Bihari Singh, who was killed in a suicide attack in Srinagar, he said that it was a duty that either the chief minister or a representative of the government should meet the kin of martyr.

"The government will make efforts that at a place where I cannot reach, some minister should visit," he said.

"It is my request that dharna should not be held in such cases," he added.

Speaking on the number of riots during SP regime, the CM said that wherever such incidents took place action was taken, those involved were arrested and alleged that people of other parties vitiated the atmosphere.

When asked about bureaucracy he said, "in bureaucracy some people are good and others will be reformed. It is not so that all officers are bad. Good works have also been done, whether it was successful organisation of kumbh or timely implementation of the schemes."

He said that action would be taken against lax officers.

Continuous work was to be done to improve language and behaviour of policemen and if needed training would be done, he said.

In a reply to a question he said that as far as corruption was concerned SP was not responsible for it and it has to be controlled.

He said that several ministers of the previous government were in jail in corruption cases and CBI inquiry was underway against some others.

He said that the government would extend all possible cooperation needed by the central agency.

The CM said that maximum price of cane was given to the farmers and framed industrial policy, which did not existed in the previous government.

He claimed the government worked to improve education, roads, electricity, health services and made operational closed medical colleges.

He said that 108 ambulance service launched by the government did wonder and while one hand it facilitated people on the other it created a good image of the department and the government.

Akhilesh said that to check cases of eve teasing 1090 service was launched in the state.

He claimed that the agricultural growth rate has gone up in the state and people have shown interest in investing in UP, adding that they also made efforts to increase power production.