UP Tak hosts fifth Viksit UP Baithak in Prayagraj to discuss UP’s growth

PRAYAGRAJ: The development dialogue is taking another turn. UP Tak hosted the fifth edition of its Viksit UP Baithak in Prayagraj, bringing together policymakers, government representatives, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and healthcare professionals to discuss the city’s development and Uttar Pradesh’s wider growth priorities.

The latest edition builds on UP Tak’s ongoing series across the state, with Prayagraj becoming the latest city to host discussions around the opportunities and challenges shaping Uttar Pradesh.

Among the prominent participants were Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, cabinet minister in the Uttar Pradesh government; Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh; and Ganesh Chandra Kesarwani, mayor of Prayagraj.

The gathering also featured K. Vijyendra Pandian, commissioner and director, ODOP, Uttar Pradesh; Vandana Bansal, founder of Jeewan Jyoti Hospital; and Satpal Gulati, vice chairman of United Group of Institutions, among other experts and stakeholders.

From governance to entrepreneurship

The discussions covered several areas considered central to the state’s development, including governance and bureaucracy, healthcare, women’s entrepreneurship, business and industrial growth, education and skills, and the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative.

The conversations looked at the challenges facing Prayagraj as well as opportunities that could support its economic and social development. Participants also explored how local initiatives and sector-specific interventions could contribute to the wider goal of a more developed Uttar Pradesh.

Healthcare and education emerged as important parts of the development conversation, alongside entrepreneurship and industrial growth. The focus was on moving beyond broad ambitions towards ideas that could have a practical impact on the city and its residents.

Milind Khandekar, managing editor, Tak Channels, said Viksit UP Baithak is intended to create a platform for meaningful dialogue around Uttar Pradesh’s growth story.

He said each edition brings together voices from different sectors to understand the opportunities and challenges shaping the state, with the Prayagraj edition extending that conversation through policymakers, entrepreneurs, experts and community voices.

Prayagraj’s position as a centre for infrastructure, education, healthcare and enterprise also made it a natural setting for the latest edition. The discussions sought to examine how these strengths can be developed further while contributing to Uttar Pradesh’s broader economic ambitions.

UP Tak said the discussions and highlights from Viksit UP Baithak Prayagraj will be available on its YouTube channel.

The event comes as UP Tak continues to expand its digital reach. The platform currently has more than 11.9 million subscribers and recorded over 900 million video views in FY 2025-26, according to the organisation.

With its fifth edition, Viksit UP Baithak continues to position itself as a forum where Uttar Pradesh’s development story is debated not just from the corridors of government, but through a wider mix of business, civic and community perspectives.