Lucknow, Feb 20 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said his government’s data-driven policymaking has played a key role in tackling diseases like encephalitis and reducing school dropout rates in the state.
Replying to a debate in the Assembly, he said the absence of accurate data in the past hampered long-term planning and strategy formulation.
“When there is no correct data, we could not prepare an effective action plan or future strategy. Earlier, our approach was problem-to-solution. Now we are working towards universal and long-term solutions based on data,” he said.
Adityanath said the state is moving from a “reactive” to a “predictive and proactive” governance model.
The chief minister said the government is in the process of strengthening a State Data Authority that would function as a “supreme regulator of data architecture” to ensure systematic data collection, integration and analysis for better governance.
Citing encephalitis as an example, Adityanath said eastern Uttar Pradesh, particularly districts such as Siddharthnagar and areas under the Devipatan division, used to report 1,200 to 1,500 deaths annually, mostly among children from Scheduled Castes, backward communities, minorities and economically weaker sections.
He alleged that previous governments, including those led by the Samajwadi Party, focused only on treatment rather than elimination of the disease.
“After 2017, we collected detailed data to identify the root causes. We found that lack of clean drinking water and open defecation were major reasons behind higher encephalitis deaths,” he said.
Following the analysis, the government focused on ensuring safe drinking water supply and construction of toilets, in line with the Centre’s universal sanitation drive under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” vision, he added.
“As a result of coordinated efforts by multiple departments and organisations, encephalitis has been effectively eliminated after 2019 and deaths have come down to zero,” Adityanath claimed.
On education, the chief minister said the primary school dropout rate, which were at 6-7 per cent during the previous SP regime, has now fallen to nearly zero to three per cent.
He said data analysis revealed that girls were dropping out not because schools were far away, but due to lack of basic facilities such as toilets and drinking water.
“Once we ensured toilets and clean water in schools, the dropout rate declined sharply,” he said.
Adityanath also highlighted the government’s scheme to provide two sets of uniforms, shoes, socks, school bags and study material to students of Basic Education Council schools, later transferring funds directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through Aadhaar linkage.
He said the assistance for this was initially estimated at Rs 800 per child and later enhanced to Rs 1,200 annually, which is provided universally without discrimination on the basis of caste, religion or region.
The chief minister further outlined plans to establish composite schools from pre-primary to Class 12 at the nyay panchayat level in a phased manner, with the aim of integrating education and skill development under one campus.
“Governance benefits must reach every citizen equally. Law and government schemes should apply uniformly to all,” he said, adding that the data-based approach would be extended to other welfare programmes in the state. PTI CDN NB NB
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