UTTAR PRADESH'S RISING ECONOMY: A DECADE OF GROWTH UNDER CM YOGI ADITYANATH

The presentation of Uttar Pradesh's Economic Survey 2025-26 in the state assembly marks not just another budgetary ritual but a testament to a profound economic turnaround.

- SHEHZAD POONAWALLA

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath with State Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna. File photo

Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, India's most populous state, home to over 25 crore people, has shed its image as a developmental backwater, emerging as a powerhouse of growth, investment and innovation. This isn't mere rhetoric; the numbers tell a story of deliberate policy, relentless execution, and a vision aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “Viksit Bharat.” Where previous regimes mired the state in corruption, lawlessness and stagnation, CM Yogi's governance has unleashed potential long suppressed by political opportunism.

Consider the sheer scale of economic expansion. In 2016-17, Uttar Pradesh's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) stood at 13.30 lakh crore, a figure that reflected decades of neglect under Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party rule, when the state was synonymous with goonda raj and investor flight. Fast forward to 2024-25, and the GSDP has more than doubled to 30.25 lakh crore, with projections for 2025-26 pegging it at 36 lakh crore. This isn’t accidental growth; it's the result of transparent policies, time-bound incentives and what Yogi calls the “Triple S” guarantee - Safety, Stability and Speed. Once, investors shunned UP; today, the state has garnered industrial investment proposals exceeding 50 lakh crore. This influx has propelled UP’s contribution to India’s national economy from 8.6% in 2016-17 to 9.1% in 2024-25, underscoring its pivot from peripheral player to national driver.