Bahraich:
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav today said that his government preferred using public money to bring smiles on the faces of common people rather than waste it on lifeless memorials and parks.
Without naming anyone, but in a clear dig at his predecessor and BSP chief Mayawati, Mr Yadav said that "the Samajwadi Party government is more interested in using hard earned people's money on bringing smiles on the faces of people rather than on stone structures and memorials".
The chief minister, who was in Bahraich to distribute cheques of unemployment and 'kanya vidyadhan' schemes to 9,943 unemployed girls of Devi Patan division, said that soon an industrial policy would be brought so as to make jobs available to the youth of the state.
Ensuring that all schemes promised in the manifesto of the party would be implemented, Mr Yadav said that soon the process of distribution of computer tablets and laptops would begin.
On the issue of law and order, the chief minister assured that all those taking the law in their hands, however influential they might be, would be punished and reiterated that the progress of the country is directly linked to that of Uttar Pradesh.
Announcing development schemes for all four divisions, he said that Katarniyaghat wildlife region would be developed as a tourist spot and National Highway 28 linking state headquarters with Nepal would be four-laned.
He also promised 220 KVA power house for the district. In the brief interaction with media, he said that support to the central government is only to keep a check on communal parties but his party was not with the UPA government on the issue of foreign direct investment or FDI in the retail sector.
"We have not seen any benefit for farmers in areas where FDI has been allowed and FDI in retail would result in heavy losses for the small traders", he said, adding, corruption and inflation have seen a steep rise under the UPA government.