Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 9 (ANI): President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga on Friday said that creating jobs destroys poverty and praised the development efforts of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government.

The World Bank Chief is on a day-long visit to Lucknow to attend a range of meetings and events.

Addressing a meeting in Lucknow, President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, stated, 'The single most important thing that we can do together is to create jobs for people. A job is the best way to destroy the illness of poverty, poverty not only of the money you earn, but poverty of your mind. Poverty of your mind comes from not having hope, not having optimism, not having a future that you deserve, and what you are doing is destroying poverty by creating jobs. The best way to create jobs is to build the infrastructure: highways, railways, airports, logistics.'

Banga emphasised that a developed India cannot materialise without a developed Uttar Pradesh and commended Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for fulfilling the needs of the populace.

''Viksit Bharat' cannot happen without 'Viksit UP'... The Chief Minister's leadership has transformed the perception; as you said, it starts from the determination to create the right environment, law and order, safety, business regulations, and infrastructure. You have a leadership that is focused on delivering on all the things that people care about, and it requires determination,' Banga said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also attended the meeting. Speaking there, Chief Minister Adityanath mentioned that the state government is seeking support from the World Bank for the UP-AGREES program to enhance agricultural productivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

'On behalf of the people of Uttar Pradesh, I welcome Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, to Uttar Pradesh... The productivity of agriculture in the western part of Uttar Pradesh is much higher than in the eastern part. To increase productivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well, we have sought help from the World Bank in the UP-AGREES (Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Development and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening) program,' CM Yogi stated.

CM Yogi added, 'Poshan Abhiyaan is an important mission being run by the World Bank, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we have taken steps in this direction in Uttar Pradesh. Take-Home Ration (THR) is one of the steps in that direction. The World Bank team will also visit the Take-Home Ration (THR) plant in Lucknow.' (ANI)