Uttar Pradesh Signs MoU with IOCL for Gorakhpur International Cricket Stadium; CM Yogi Pushes Vision of a Model, Infrastructure-Driven State
By Tajdar H Zaidi
Lucknow: In a move reflecting Uttar Pradesh’s growing focus on world-class infrastructure and economic expansion, the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the construction of an international cricket stadium in Gorakhpur.
The agreement was formalized in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who described the project as part of a broader effort to transform Uttar Pradesh into a model state driven by infrastructure, industry, and investment-led growth.
₹339-Crore Project with Strong Corporate Backing
The proposed Gorakhpur International Cricket Stadium will be built at a total cost of ₹339 crore and will have a seating capacity of 30,000 spectators.
The facility will include international-standard pitches, practice grounds, floodlighting systems, and modern sports infrastructure designed to host national and international tournaments.
Indian Oil has committed ₹60 crore toward the project. In addition, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has contributed ₹30 crore, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has pledged ₹10 crore, demonstrating significant support from major public-sector oil marketing companies.
The Chief Minister noted that construction work has already commenced and emphasized that such partnerships between government and industry are essential for delivering large-scale infrastructure within set timelines.
Expanding the Sports Infrastructure Network
CM Yogi also highlighted that an international cricket stadium is currently under construction in Varanasi with the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and efforts are underway to complete it by mid-June this year.
With projects progressing simultaneously in Varanasi and Gorakhpur, eastern Uttar Pradesh is emerging as a new hub for sports infrastructure.
He underscored that the Gorakhpur stadium is not merely a sporting facility but a catalyst for sports tourism, job creation, local talent development, and increased private investment in the region.
From Revenue Deficit to Revenue Surplus
During the ongoing Assembly budget session in Lucknow, the Chief Minister asserted that Uttar Pradesh has transitioned from a revenue-deficient state to a revenue-surplus one over the past nine years.
He attributed this shift to policy clarity, disciplined financial management, and what he described as the “double-engine government” model.
According to him, Uttar Pradesh has shed its earlier image of stagnation and lawlessness to become a significant contributor to the national economy. He emphasized that governance reforms, industrial growth, and infrastructure expansion have repositioned the state as an economic engine rather than a bottleneck.
Law, Order, and Cultural Economy
The Chief Minister further stated that a zero-tolerance policy toward crime has reshaped the state’s identity, claiming that no communal riots have occurred since 2017.
He also highlighted the growth of the “festival and temple economy,” noting that over 21 crore devotees took a holy dip in the Triveni River during the recent Magh Mela — an event he described as evidence of both improved administration and cultural tourism expansion.
Vision of a Model State
CM Yogi’s remarks reflect a broader ambition: to position Uttar Pradesh as a benchmark for other states in terms of infrastructure, industrial investment, financial stability, and governance reforms.
With sustained focus on sports complexes, expressways, industrial corridors, religious tourism circuits, and urban modernization, the government appears intent on creating a development model that other states may seek to replicate.
The Gorakhpur International Cricket Stadium, in this context, stands not only as a sports project but as a symbol of Uttar Pradesh’s accelerating transformation into an infrastructure-driven growth hub.
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