Lucknow, Oct. 15 -- Former President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday praised Uttar Pradesh's efforts for development, law and order, and good governance under chief minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership. He also called on the youth of Uttar Pradesh to participate actively in politics, governance, administration and public life. The former President was addressing the release ceremony of the Hindi edition of his autobiography. "The state gained fresh momentum after the government was formed under Yogi Adityanath's leadership in 2017. Yogi resolved to make Uttar Pradesh a one trillion dollar economy and has given unprecedented momentum to efforts to transform the state into an Uttam Pradesh, in line with the dreams of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Kovind said. "Major infrastructure projects such as expressways, airports and Metro systems under chief minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership have made travel between different regions of the state easier. Through the effective implementation of government schemes, efforts are being made to ensure that the benefits of development reach rural families and the last person in society, in keeping with the spirit of Antyodaya," he said. Sharing memories of his childhood, Kovind said his house at Paraunkh village in Kanpur Dehat was modest, and water used to leak through the roof during the rainy season. After being elected President in 2017, he thought of those families who still dream of a better future. Through the efforts of the Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi government in UP, poor families have not only received pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana but have also gained dignity and security, he said. He described UP as the land of Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, Lord Buddha, Mahavir, Sant Kabir and Sant Ravidas. He said that participation in democracy should not remain limited to voting. "For good governance, honest, capable, and sensitive people must come forward in politics," he said. htc...