Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised the pivotal role of technology in ensuring transparent governance and its impact on various aspects of life. Speaking at a ceremony in Gorakhpur University, he highlighted the significance of leveraging technology to combat corruption effectively.
Addressing students during the smartphone-tablet distribution event under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme, Adityanath shared the government's commitment to equipping two crore youths with smartphones and tablets. Around 1,000 students from universities and colleges received smartphones during the ceremony, with 15 students personally receiving devices from the Chief Minister.
Drawing attention to the transformative power of technology, Adityanath illustrated its importance with practical examples. He recounted the challenges in the state's public distribution system before 2017, citing instances of corruption leading to severe consequences, including hunger-related deaths in districts like Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Sonbhadra, and Chitrakoot.
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The Chief Minister, reflecting on his past experiences as an MP, narrated how a corrupt system allowed powerful entities to exploit ration distribution for personal gain. In response, he took swift action upon assuming office, conducting a raid on 80,000 ration shops and uncovering 30 lakh fake ration cards within a week.
To address these issues, Adityanath initiated technological reforms, connecting all ration shops to a centralized point of sale and linking ration cards with Aadhaar. As a result, he noted that Uttar Pradesh's public distribution system has become a benchmark for the country.
