Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 18 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to 555 pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra at Lok Bhavan.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said on Tuesday, 'So that the devotees of Uttar Pradesh face no problems, it was for this very purpose that we constructed the Kailash Mansarovar Bhawan in Ghaziabad in 2017-18. The government's effort has been to ensure that devotees receive good facilities at every pilgrimage site. In 2025, more than 164 crore devotees visited various religious sites across Uttar Pradesh, of which approximately 66 crore participated in the Prayagraj Mahakumbh alone.'

He further emphasised, 'The double-engine government's complete focus is on rapidly advancing the potential of the tourism sector and, through these means, accelerating the development of Uttar Pradesh while creating new employment opportunities.'

Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday paid tribute to former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Union Minister late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna on his death anniversary.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Yogi hailed his contribution to the development of the state and said that he made continuous efforts to promote social public awareness.

'Today is the death anniversary of the freedom fighter, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna. On this occasion, on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government and the people of Uttar Pradesh, I pay tribute to him...He made continuous efforts to promote social public awareness,' Yogi Adityanath said.

CM Yogi underlined Bahuguna's efforts to advance social awareness and national consciousness in independent India.

'Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna continuously made efforts to vigorously advance social awareness and national consciousness along with the independence of the country... In independent India, as a public representative, as the Chief Minister in the state government and as a Union Minister, he did many remarkable works,' he said.

He said further, 'The work initiated by him, whatever he did as a public representative, Chief Minister, Union Minister, were decisions taken for the welfare of every section of the society, prosperity of the country and the common people... I pay tribute to him on behalf of the state government and the people of the state.' (ANI)