Context

• Recently, Uttar Pradesh is being highlighted for its robust implementation of MGNREGA schemes to boost rural livelihoods through local infrastructure and job creation.

About the News

• The State of Uttar Pradesh provided MGNREGA work to 65.28 lakh families, with 6.19 lakh households completing the full 100 days—the highest figures achieved outside the COVID period.
• The scheme is being credited with reducing rural migration and strengthening local livelihoods, making UP a national benchmark for implementation quality.

Projects achieved under MGNREGA

• Uttar Pradesh has successfully shifted over 85% of NRM (Natural Resource Management) funding toward water conservation measures such as farm ponds, rainwater harvesting, and soil moisture conservation. This is a significant increase compared to previous years. The River rejuvenation efforts are underway across the state. 
• Notably, nine rivers in Rampur district—including the Nahal and Aril—have been revived, generating 1.5 lakh man-days of MGNREGA work and enabling ecological recovery.
• A broader 75‑river revival initiative across UP is being jointly implemented by state agencies and technical institutes like IIT Kanpur and IIT Roorkee, continuing its origins under the MGNREGA framework.

Significance of this Achievement

• Rural Employment & Infrastructure: MGNREGA initiatives in UP are generating sustainable employment while creating tangible assets such as terraces, ponds, community playgrounds, and river restoration works.
• Climate Adaptation: With water scarcity and temperature extremes affecting agriculture, the scheme’s focus on water conservation and watershed development is helping farmers adapt and safeguard yields.
• Governance & Inclusivity: The increased wage rate, faster payments, and a shift toward more technical oversight signal better governance. However, worker protests underscore that challenges in fund flows remain.
  

Context

• Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has set a new record for the longest continuous tenure in office.

Key Points

• Tenure of Yogi Adityanath: He completed 8 years, 4 months, and 10 days in office, surpassing the previous record of 8 years and 127 days held by Govind Ballabh Pant the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. 
• Pant, who served from 1947 to 1954, was the first Chief Minister of the state and played a significant role in its early political landscape. 
• Yogi Adityanath's Political Journey: Yogi Adityanath first assumed office as CM in 2017, after securing a landslide victory in the state elections. 
• He returned to power in 2022, making him the first person in 37 years to win consecutive terms in Uttar Pradesh, which allowed him to extend his tenure without interruption. 

About Tenure of Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers

• Govind Ballabh Pant : 8 years, 127 days (Premier of United Provinces (1946-1950) and UP Chief Minister (1950-1954) 
• Mayawati: 7 years, 16 days 
• Mulayam Singh Yadav: 6 years, 274 days (3 times served as CM) 
• Sampurnanand: 5 years, 345 days 
• Akhilesh Yadav: 5 years, 4 days 
• Narayan Dutt Tiwari: 3 years, 314 days (3 times served as CM) 

Context

• In a major push for Renewable Energy, Recently, Uttar Pradesh signed an MoU with Yamanashi Prefecture’s hydrogen company, promising Japanese collaboration in production, storage, supply chain development, and R&D via state universities and IITs.

Points to Consider

• Japanese stakeholders have announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for green hydrogen in UP, utilizing advanced Japanese technology.
• The announcement follows a high‑level delegation visit to Japan, where Uttar Pradesh officials visited Yamanashi’s NESRAD Green Hydrogen Plant, power‑to‑gas facilities, and hydrogen research labs where they explored about the development of Hydrogen Energy in Japan and implement same in Uttar Pradesh
• Focus on Zero-Emission Transport: During the visit, the UP delegation explored several breakthrough technologies, including the next-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, Toyota Mirai.  
• This vehicle runs on a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water as a byproduct, aligning with Uttar Pradesh’s vision for a zero-emission transport policy. 

Significance for Uttar Pradesh

• Strategic Clean Energy Push: UP’s CoE will drive innovation and attract advanced Japanese technology, positioning UP as a national green hydrogen hub and bringing in more investment.
• Investment & Job Growth: Large investments are expected to translate into thousands of jobs, local manufacturing, and cleaner industrial activity providing jobs to local youth and contributing to Uttar Pradesh GDP.
• Green Hydrogen Technological Advancements: The adoption of advanced Japanese hydrogen fuel cell technology will drive cleaner, sustainable transport, reduce green house gas emission, and contribute to the state's clean energy goals by diversifying renewable power generation methods. 

About Hydrogen

• Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but on Earth, it makes up only 0.14% of the Earth's crust by mass, ranking as the 10th most abundant element.  

Types of Hydrogen