The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday cleared a proposal to rename the Jewar International Airport in Noida as Narendra Modi International Airport, ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled next year. The announcement came after a state Cabinet meeting, with Adityanath outlining the decision during a press briefing.
The proposed renaming comes five years after Ahmedabad's Motera cricket stadium was renamed the Narendra Modi Stadium in 2021. The Jewar airport's first phase was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year, with four additional phases planned for its expansion.
Cabinet marks Modi's public service
During the Cabinet meeting, a congratulatory resolution was also passed to mark the Prime Minister completing 25 years in public service.
Highlighting the state government's achievements, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh had implemented the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' through welfare initiatives for farmers, women, youth and marginalised communities.
Welfare initiatives highlighted
He said more than Rs 1 lakh crore had been transferred to over three crore farmers in Uttar Pradesh under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. More than 65 lakh poor families had received houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, while approximately 15 crore people were being provided free food grains under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, he added.
The Chief Minister also highlighted healthcare initiatives, stating that over 9.9 crore people had received health coverage through Ayushman cards. He cited infrastructure development, including national highways, metro networks and the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat train, as examples of the state's progress.
Airport and industrial development
Referring to the Jewar airport, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh was scaling new heights in air connectivity. He also pointed to the state's defence industrial corridor, the PM MITRA Textile Park and freight connectivity projects as key drivers of industrial development.
The proposal to rename the airport now places the project at the centre of a significant announcement by the state government ahead of next year's Assembly elections.
