Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 27 : As part of his ongoing divisional public representative dialogue series aimed at the holistic development of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened a special meeting on Sunday with MLAs from the Jhansi and Chitrakoot Dham divisions.
The interaction focused on understanding the ground realities, public expectations, and development priorities of these regions.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister engaged with each public representative to gain insights into the conditions of their constituencies. The session went beyond routine scheme reviews, placing special emphasis on addressing the unique challenges of remote areas through the practical knowledge and lived experience of local representatives.
CM Yogi reaffirmed the government's commitment to the development of Bundelkhand, calling it a top priority. He highlighted the spiritual and cultural significance of Chitrakoot Dham, revered as the site of Lord Rama's penance, and Jhansi, symbolising the valour of Rani Lakshmibai. He emphasised that the rejuvenation and integrated progress of these regions form the cornerstone of building a 'New Uttar Pradesh.'
The development proposals submitted by the MLAs were thoroughly reviewed. The Chief Minister directed the Public Works Department and Charitable Works Department (Dharmarth Karya Vibhag) to work in close coordination with public representatives to determine priorities and ensure the transparent, timely, and high-quality execution of projects.
In total, 1,088 development works have been proposed from the two divisions, with a combined estimated cost of Rs 8,776 crore. These include 691 proposals from the Jhansi division (Jhansi, Jalaun, and Lalitpur), worth Rs 4,901 crore, and 397 proposals from the Chitrakoot division (Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot, and Mahoba), worth Rs 3,875 crore.
Among these, Jhansi and Banda districts have emerged as the top contributors in their respective divisions, with works amounting to Rs 1,916 crore and Rs 1,825 crore, respectively.
The proposed projects encompass a wide range of infrastructure initiatives--road connectivity to block headquarters, inter-district routes, access roads to religious sites, logistics hubs, bypasses, flyovers, ROBs/underpasses, major and minor bridges, road safety measures, irrigation infrastructure, and pontoon bridges. These projects aim to enhance connectivity in geographically challenging areas and stimulate local economic development.
The Chief Minister also instructed that proposals aimed at enhancing interstate connectivity in Bundelkhand be prioritised in the first phase, based on recommendations from the MLAs.
Underscoring the role of public representatives, the Chief Minister stated that their grassroots understanding is a vital resource for the government. "We are not just formulating schemes--timely, transparent and ground-level implementation is our identity," he said. "We are committed to lifting Bundelkhand out of decades of neglect and integrating it into Uttar Pradesh's journey toward a brighter future."
He added that the government's core objective is to see every scheme through to completion, with accountability, strategic use of technology, and zero compromise on quality.
The Chief Minister also urged all public representatives to actively monitor development works in their constituencies and ensure that the implementation aligns with local aspirations.