Prosperity in UP integral for India's development: Manmohan

Gorakhpur, May 1 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that prosperity in Uttar Pradesh was a pre-requisite for the progress of the nation.

Addressing an election meeting here, Dr Singh said the country needed the active participation of the people of UP to march ahead.

''UP has been a major contributor in the country's fight for independence. The state has given several PMs and great statesmen to the nation, who laid the foundation of development,'' the PM observed.

However, he regretted that UP was oftenly referred to as 'Bimaar Pradesh', which was ''sad but true.'' Dr Singh held the successive non-Congress governments in the state responsible for the dismal scenario prevailing in UP, ''which has brought development to a standstill in the last 15 years.'' Waxing eloquent on 'purvanchal' (eastern UP), Dr Singh said: ''I have come to a wonderful region like 'purvanchal'.'' ''There was a time, when the destiny of many a big state depended on this region, but sadly today 'purvanchal' counts among the most backward areas in the country,'' he said.

Dr Singh highlighted that the people of the region were afflicted with several ills and migrating to other states for employment.

''The farmers are facing the perennial problem of floods here,'' he added.

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