Akash, What exactly about UP makes you so proud? Could you also explain why UP and Bihar continue to be in the list of backward states of India (even though Rajasthan and MP - other members of the infamous BIMARU states - have been making great strides towards development lately)? UP is blessed with abundant fertile landmass (a big percentage of several agricultural produce of the nation comes from UP), hardy people (UP has more people than Pakistan. Only 5 countries - India included - have more people than the state of UP), rich culture and history, wonderful historic marvels (Taj Mahal is the most renowned building in the world yet more tourists visit DisneyLand in a day than visit Taj Mahal in a year!), minerals, livestock (almost 80% of the country's livestock)
I have met some very smart / enterprising / intelligent folks from UP and Bihar and will not tar them all with the same brush. However it does rankle that UP and Bihar are consistently at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to statewise breakdown of Human Deveopment Indices. The dismal performance of UP rankles even more because UP is so blessed by nature. So what gives?
Under ideal conditions, UP should undoubtedly be the powerhouse fueling India's growth in all spheres. It has tremendous political clout too - it has produced more MPs & PMs than any other state. Unfortunately given its unwieldly population and deplorable development figures it (along with Bihar) have become large millstones that weigh the collective progress of other states.
Viewed in isolation and compared with the development indices of countries of the world - UP would be at the very bottom of the list of nations - worse than sub-saharan Africa. Kerala, on the other hand, would be at the very top, going head to head with Western Europe.
I am not castigating the people of UP entirely for where UP is today, but something is seriously wrong with this picture. What exactly? Pervasive corruption? Any other suggestions, Akash? Further, what is the way out?
