UP CM Yogi Adityanath says Narmada campaign would be model for 'Namami Gange'

Dindori: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said his government would take further the ambitious `Namami Gange' program on the lines of ongoing Narmada conservation program in Madhya Pradesh.

He also showered praise on his Madhya Pradesh counterpart, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Adityanath was speaking at a public interaction at Shahpura in Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh amid the ongoing 'Namami Devi Narmade Sewa Yatra,' the state government's campaign to create awareness about conserving river Narmada, the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh.

"We have a challenge in Uttar Pradesh, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious plan for conservation of Ganga. I was thinking for long that Shivraj-ji is running a river conservation campaign and I should go there and see it and take Namami Gange project ahead on similar lines," he said.

His government would undertake similar campaigns for other rivers in Uttar Pradesh including Yamuna, Rapti, Gandak, etc, he said.

Adityanath also said that 15 years ago, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that the next world war would be fought over water.

"Several civilisations in the world developed along the riverbanks. But the man has destroyed the rivers for vested interests and materialistic goals," he said.

Campaigns for river conservation showed foresightedness, he said.

He also said that Madhya Pradesh had transformed under BJP rule.

"Madhya Pradesh was a `BIMARU' state 12 years ago. It was poor in agricultural produce. State has transformed...It has increased the per capita income by leading in the agricultural production," he said.

Saying that roads were in poor condition under the Congress rule, Adityanath said during his visits to Chitrakoot, Ujjain and Omkareshwar, he used to travel only 100 km a day back then as the roads were pothole-ridden.

He praised the MP Chief Minister for improved roads, water and electricity supply, and also for efficient organisation of Simhastha Mahakumbh in Ujjain.

He had also sent a team to study various schemes of MP government including meals for poor at discounted price and Kanyadan Yojana (mass-marriage scheme), he said.

Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav and several religious leaders were present at the programme.