Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Friday handed over a release order of Rs 1,263 crore to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath for different projects in the state, PTI reported. Naidu reviewed the implementation of various central schemes in UP and handed over a release order of Rs 375 crore for the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation scheme, Rs 442 crore for the Smart City Mission and Rs 446 crore for the Lucknow Metro project.

He said with the coming of the Adityanath government, Uttar Pradesh had joined “Mission Modi”, an acronym for “Making of Developed India”.

“Uttar Pradesh lagged behind in implementing central government schemes...the previous government did not have the intention to do so. I’m not levelling any allegation but stating a fact. People have already given them a reply,” Naidu said at a joint press conference with the chief minister.

Lucknow has been given Rs 119 crore, while Rs 107 crore each has been given to Agra, Kanpur and Varanasi, Naidu said, adding that Meerut and Rae Bareli were allotted Rs 2 crore for sending a proposal under the smart city mission.

The Union minister further said that 61 cities of the state, including Ayodhya, had been included under “Amrut” to work on three main components of potable water, sanitation and solid waste management.