Zero Poverty mission in UP to be named after Dr Ambedkar: CM Adityanath

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday announced that the 'Zero Poverty' mission in Uttar Pradesh will be named after Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. He said that this initiative, set to launch later this month, aims to lift every underprivileged and deprived individual above the poverty line.

Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, the programme aims to ensure that no underprivileged person is left without access to basic amenities and government welfare schemes, Adityanth said while addressing a gathering organised by the Ambedkar Mahasabha on Monday to mark the birth anniversary of the late jurist-cum-social reformer.

On the occasion, he also released a commemorative souvenir, the UP government said in a statement.  

In the first phase, 14-15 lakh families will be identified and connected with the mission. Each gram panchayat will include 20-25 families who don’t have full access to government benefits. 

He added, "Uttar Pradesh will become the first state in India to take decisive steps toward Zero Poverty." 

Reflecting on Dr Ambedkar's life, the Chief Minister recalled that despite numerous challenges, his efforts led him to pursue higher education in England. After returning to India, he worked for the betterment of the crores of deprived and marginalised citizens. 

Dr Ambedkar served as the first law minister in the first organised government and as the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. 

He emphasised that while many doubted India's ability to remain united after independence, their fears were proved wrong. "Thanks to the guiding principles of the Constitution, India today stands strong as the world's largest and most vibrant democracy," he said.

 Adityanath also emphasised that the journey to realise Ambedkar's vision began under the leadership of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and gained renewed strength under PM Modi.  The CM also announced that Gram Panchayat committees managing community toilets would be provided with a monthly honorarium, ensuring continued maintenance and dignity for sanitation workers.

He also lamented that while Babasaheb is widely revered, Jogendra Nath Mandal remains a forgotten figure despite his contributions.  The Chief Minister remarked that the situations in Pakistan and Bangladesh serve as important lessons for India. He praised the PM for giving dignity and respect to Dalits and the marginalised.

 He also accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party of consistently disrespecting Baba Saheb. "While he was alive, they insulted him, and even after his death, they tried to suppress his values and ideals," the Chief Minister said.

On Monday morning, the UP CM paid tributes to Ambedkar and described him as a true "Bharat Ratna" and a "living school of democracy".

Ambedkar's struggle for an egalitarian society will inspire people for an eternity, Adityanath said in a post on X in Hindi.

"Tributes to the architect of the Indian Constitution who was all-inclusive, benevolent to all, imbued with excellent democratic values and enriched the spirit of one India, great India, Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth anniversary!

"He was a Bharat Ratna in the true sense of the word and a living school of democracy. His struggle to establish an egalitarian and justice-loving society will continue to inspire all of us for eternity," the chief minister said.

Ambedkar is recognised for his lifelong struggle for the empowerment of Scheduled Castes and his key role in drafting the Constitution.

Born in a Dalit family in 1891, he was a brilliant student who went on to study in foreign countries. The discrimination he suffered in Indian society turned him into a committed social reformer.

He was India's first law minister. He died in 1956.