GORAKHPUR, June 14 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday asserted that a single vote for the lotus (the BJP symbol) can transform the future of generations and free them from the burdens of the past. Addressing a public gathering at Mahuavapar in the Chillupar assembly constituency, the chief minister said that before 2017, youths from regions such as Chillupar, Mau and Azamgarh faced discrimination in securing jobs merely because of where they belonged. He claimed that the same regions are now being welcomed and provided greater opportunities for advancement. In a sharp attack on a former legislator, he said, "When a legislator begins to function like a contractor, public service inevitably takes a back seat." The chief minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 319 development projects worth more than Rs.295 crore in the region. He said that youth from eastern Uttar Pradesh would no longer need to migrate in search of employment, as GIDA (Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority) has expanded to their doorstep in Dhuriyapar. He noted that before 2017, nobody could have imagined that a CNG plant would be established in the area. Referring to ethanol and CNG production, he said these initiatives have strengthened India's energy security amid global uncertainties. He announced that a cement plant, power plant, modern paint manufacturing unit and pharmaceutical industries would soon begin operations in the area. These projects, he said, would generate substantial local employment and could even attract workers from outside the region. Launching a sharp attack on previous governments, the chief minister alleged that before 2017, jobs, contracts and government benefits were controlled by a select few. He also recalled that work on a homoeopathic medical college, which had been stalled during the previous regime, was revived after 2017. He said that more than 800 youths from Gorakhpur had recently been recruited into the police force and asserted that government recruitment processes are now being conducted transparently. "The new India is committed to inclusive development, welfare schemes for the underprivileged, eliminating mafia influence, and creating a safe environment that encourages economic growth and investment," he said. Referring to the recurring flood problems faced by residents of the region, he said the government had witnessed their suffering and had approved proposals aimed at protecting people from flood devastation....