Piyush Goyal underscored Lucknow’s role as a regional capital blending culture, ideas, and dialogue with strong governance. He highlighted Modi’s transformative policies, UP’s progress under Adityanath, and forthcoming commemorations, framing Lucknow as a national symbol of growth and heritage.
India
-Oneindia Staff
Union
Minister
of
Commerce
and
Industry
Piyush
Goyal
on
Sunday
highlighted
the
cultural,
political
and
developmental
significance
of
Uttar
Pradesh’s
capital,
Lucknow,
during
the
official
announcement
of
the
newly
elected
BJP
state
president
and
national
council
members
at
the
party’s
Sangathan
Parv
programme
held
at
Ram
Manohar
Lohia
Law
University,
Ashiana.
Addressing
party
workers,
Goyal
said
Lucknow
is
far
more
than
just
a
city.
“It
is
a
unique
regional
capital
with
a
long-standing
tradition
of
ideas,
culture
and
dialogue.
Today,
the
entire
country
is
looking
towards
Lucknow,”
he
said.
Piyush
Goyal
underscored
Lucknow’s
role
as
a
regional
capital
blending
culture,
ideas,
and
dialogue
with
strong
governance.
He
highlighted
Modi’s
transformative
policies,
UP’s
progress
under
Adityanath,
and
forthcoming
commemorations,
framing
Lucknow
as
a
national
symbol
of
growth
and
heritage.
Speaking
nostalgically,
Goyal
recalled
former
Prime
Minister
Atal
Bihari
Vajpayee’s
association
with
Lucknow
and
the
deep
emotional
bond
he
shared
with
the
people
of
the
city.
He
said
Vajpayee
not
only
represented
Lucknow
in
Parliament
but
also
inspired
generations
through
his
poetry,
ideas
and
statesmanship.
“I
get
a
unique
feeling
whenever
I
come
to
Lucknow,” Goyal
said,
describing
the
city
as
a
symbol
of
India’s
intellectual
and
cultural
heritage.
Reflecting
on
the
national
political
landscape,
Goyal
said
that
before
2014,
corruption,
scams
and
weak
governance
dominated
headlines,
with
Uttar
Pradesh
facing
particularly
grave
challenges.
He
said
the
election
of
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
in
2014
marked
the
beginning
of
a
transformative
era.
“Under
his
leadership,
India
has
witnessed
a
comprehensive
change
in
governance,
mindset
and
global
perception,” Goyal
said,
adding
that
Indians
today
enjoy
unprecedented
respect
across
the
world.
He
highlighted
the
Prime
Minister’s
governance
philosophy
rooted
in
“Antyodaya
to
Sarvodaya”,
which
has
significantly
improved
lives
across
the
country.
Achievements
cited
included
electricity
in
every
household,
free
LPG
connections,
tap
water
supply,
housing
for
nearly
200
million
people,
free
food
grains
for
800
million
citizens,
2.5
billion
free
COVID-19
vaccine
doses,
and
healthcare
coverage
for
700
million
people
under
Ayushman
Bharat.
Goyal
said
that
over
the
last
11
years,
around
250
million
people
have
been
lifted
out
of
poverty,
setting
a
global
benchmark.
India
on
Track
to
Become
Third-Largest
Economy
Highlighting
India’s
economic
growth,
Goyal
said
the
country
is
poised
to
become
the
world’s
third-largest
economy
within
the
next
two
to
three
years.
He
described
development
as
a
mass
movement
and
quoted
Prime
Minister
Modi’s
words
from
his
August
15
address
at
the
Red
Fort:
“I
live
for
you,
you
are
my
family.
I
have
dedicated
myself
to
fulfilling
your
dreams.”
Uttar
Pradesh’s
Transformation
Under
Yogi
Adityanath
Goyal
praised
Chief
Minister
Yogi
Adityanath
for
transforming
Uttar
Pradesh
over
the
past
eight
and
a
half
years.
He
said
the
state
has
effectively
curbed
land,
sand
and
liquor
mafias,
strengthened
law
and
order,
and
emerged
as
India’s
second-largest
state
economy.
“With
sustained
development,
Uttar
Pradesh
is
moving
towards
becoming
a
one-trillion-dollar
economy.
This
reflects
a
clear
vision
for
the
future
and
inspires
progress
across
the
country,”
he
said.
Investment,
Infrastructure
and
Employment
Growth
Emphasizing
Uttar
Pradesh’s
investment
potential,
Goyal
highlighted
the
Defence
Corridors
in
Bundelkhand
and
Lucknow
and
the
₹40
lakh
crore
investment
commitments
secured
during
the
2023
Uttar
Pradesh
Global
Investors
Summit.
He
said
very
few
states
have
achieved
such
a
strong
combination
of
robust
law
and
order,
investment-friendly
policies
and
an
industry-oriented
environment.
He
also
praised
the
state’s
push
for
Global
Capability
Centres,
employment
generation
and
skill
development.
“Investors
feel
secure
in
Uttar
Pradesh,
and
opportunities
for
talent
and
skill
development
are
growing
rapidly,”
he
said,
expressing
confidence
in
the
state’s
continued
progress.
2025:
A
Year
of
National
Significance
Goyal
described
2025
as
a
year
of
special
national
importance,
marked
by
several
historic
milestones.
These
include
the
350th
martyrdom
anniversary
of
Guru
Tegh
Bahadur,
the
150th
birth
anniversaries
of
Bhagwan
Birsa
Munda
and
Sardar
Vallabhbhai
Patel,
and
the
birth
centenary
of
Atal
Bihari
Vajpayee.
He
said
Uttar
Pradesh
would
host
large-scale
commemorative
programmes
for
these
occasions.
He
also
recalled
the
hoisting
of
the
national
flag
at
the
Ram
Janmabhoomi
temple
on
November
25
by
Prime
Minister
Modi
and
paid
tribute
to
the
sacrifices
made
during
the
Ram
Janmabhoomi
movement.
BJP’s
Rise
and
New
Leadership
Recounting
the
situation
in
Uttar
Pradesh
before
2017,
Goyal
said
the
state
suffered
from
lawlessness,
lack
of
investment,
unemployment
and
mass
migration.
He
said
the
public
mandate
in
favour
of
the
BJP-NDA
in
2017,
with
over
300
seats,
marked
a
decisive
shift
in
governance.
Welcoming
the
appointment
of
BJP’s
new
state
president
Pankaj,
Goyal
described
him
as
a
simple,
hardworking
leader
with
deep
grassroots
experience.
He
noted
that
Pankaj’s
political
journey,
from
corporator
to
Deputy
Mayor
and
seven-time
elected
representative,
reflects
strong
public
trust.
Quoting
Atal
Bihari
Vajpayee,
Goyal
said
the
post
of
BJP
president
is
not
an
ornament
but
a
responsibility,
a
test
of
values
rather
than
a
pursuit
of
prestige.
He
emphasized
the
need
to
continue
strengthening
the
party
under
its
core
principles._____
