lucknow

Updated: Jul 08, 2017 22:34 IST

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday lamented India’s “poor performance” in the field of science and technology despite being the largest democracy.

“Despite being the largest democracy and market, India is lagging behind in the field of technology...we have lost our place in the field of science... those who used to follow us are being followed by us today,” he said at a function in Gorakhpur.

“We will have to bring a change in our mindset according to the changing times,” he said.

He said it was a matter of concern that none of the cities in eastern UP featured in the Centre’s Smart Cities list.

Stressing the need for reviving sugar mills in the region through new techniques, the chief minister asked the research institutes to do the needful in this direction.

He said research done for meeting local requirements was more important than that for international needs.

On the deteriorating standard of education, the priest-turned-politician said there were some 660 private engineering colleges in the state, but these were hardly getting any admission.

He said the college owners were now converting the institutes into marriage halls and malls.

“It is a matter of concern that the standard of education is falling,” he added.