UP’s Talented Youth To Lead The Vision Of 'Viksit Bharat': CM Yogi

Lucknow, October 13: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, said that Uttar Pradesh, home to a vast pool of talented youth, will play a leading role in building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ through its contributions in sports, culture, and innovation. He added that the path to a developed India passes through Uttar Pradesh, where the ‘Viksit Uttar Pradesh’ campaign has received overwhelming public support.

At a ceremony in Lucknow, the Chief Minister honoured the winners of the National Youth Festival 2025 and Youth Parliament 2025 by presenting certificates and tablets. He also launched MLA and MP Sports Competitions, inaugurated Youth Promotion Centres, and distributed sports kits to 16,000 Yuvak Mangal Dals and Mahila Mangal Dals. The state’s best regional youth welfare officers were also felicitated.

Calling the sports kit distribution before Diwali a special gift to youth, CM Yogi said over 1.05 lakh Mangal Dals are active in the state, with more than 80,000 already equipped with sports kits. Sports competitions, he announced, will now be held from the village level up to Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies, fostering a culture of healthy competition and fitness.

Encouraging youth to promote local culture alongside sports, the Chief Minister urged them to revive folk singing, storytelling, drama, and Ramlila performances. He said such traditions embody the history and spirit of Indian society and must be preserved by the younger generation.

Highlighting the ongoing Mission Shakti (Phase V) campaign, CM Yogi said it aims to ensure women’s safety, respect, and self-reliance by spreading awareness about welfare schemes and empowering Mahila Mangal Dals to take the mission to every Gram Panchayat.

Sharing progress under the Developed Uttar Pradesh initiative, the Chief Minister informed that after a 28-hour Assembly discussion, over 300 intellectuals visited 1,000 educational institutions, gathering inputs from 57,600 local bodies. So far, over 4 million suggestions have been received through the Samarth Portal. He said self-reliant villages will lead to self-reliant districts and a self-reliant state—forming the foundation of Vision 2047.

The Chief Minister said sports are now a necessity of life, not merely a source of entertainment. In the last three years, over 500 national and international athletes have been given government jobs, including posts of DSPs, Naib Tehsildars, and sports officers. The Uttar Pradesh Police, he noted, has also won the most medals in national and international police games.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to promoting sports infrastructure, CM Yogi said playgrounds are being developed in every Gram Panchayat, with mini-stadiums at block levels and main stadiums at districts, along with open gyms and training centres.

He added that 12.64 lakh youth have registered on the AI-enabled Yuva Saathi Portal, which connects them with various schemes. Youth centres are also being established in 50 development blocks at a cost of Rs 2 crore.

The Chief Minister further said that during the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, 1.5 lakh youth participated in unity marches, podcasts, and reel competitions reflecting the spirit of national integration.

“Today’s youth are the architects of Viksit Bharat@2047. When India completes 100 years of independence, it will be their efforts that shape its destiny,” CM Yogi said, calling on Yuvak and Mahila Mangal Dals to lead this transformation.

Minister of State for Sports and Youth Welfare (Independent Charge) Girish Chandra Yadav, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Seth, MLAs Yogesh Shukla, Amresh Kumar, Lalji Prasad Nirmal, and senior officials of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department were present on the occasion.