‘UP no longer Bimaru state’: CM Yogi says mafia crushed; Akhilesh flags gaps

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared on Saturday that the state had shed its "Bimaru" image and gained a "respectable image" due to advancements in healthcare, connectivity, education, and law enforcement. This statement came after Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav criticized the BJP government's handling of the state's healthcare system, citing a shortage of doctors and paramedical staff.

Addressing a program in Deoria, Yogi highlighted the inauguration and foundation stones of 80 development projects valued at Rs 305 crore. He accused past Samajwadi Party and Congress governments of neglecting the encephalitis epidemic, which allegedly claimed over 50,000 lives in four decades, and criticized the lack of visits from previous chief ministers to assess the situation.

Yogi also alleged the existence of a parallel "mafia rule" under previous administrations, emphasizing that the state now boasts a "respectable image" and has crushed the mafia.

The chief minister stated that the government had transitioned from "one district, one mafia" to "one district, one medical college," pointing to medical colleges in Deoria and Kushinagar. He emphasized improvements in encephalitis eradication, linking it to healthcare initiatives, and highlighted the construction of a medical college in Deoria and the enhancement of connectivity through bypasses and flyovers.

Additionally, Yogi showcased composite schools, upgraded schools, Abhyudaya coaching facilities, and the transformation of basic education schools under the 'Operation Kayakalp' program.

Conversely, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the state currently faces a shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, with one doctor for every 16,000 people and 41% of nursing and paramedical positions vacant. He claimed that 24,000 nursing and paramedical posts and 604 AIIMS Rae Bareli and 579 AIIMS Gorakhpur positions were vacant. Additionally, Yadav pointed out that the number of primary health centers had decreased in several districts, including Gorakhpur, and promised free treatment and medicines for the poor if the Samajwadi Party regained power, covering both routine and serious illnesses like cancer.