Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met with farmers who contributed land for the Noida International Airport during its inaugural commercial flight to Lucknow [1].
The event serves as a symbolic recognition of the landowners' role in one of the region's largest infrastructure projects. By honoring those who provided ancestral land, the state government aims to highlight the cooperation between rural landowners and urban development goals.
Approximately 170 farmers, including about 20 women, were passengers on the inaugural flight from the Jewar airport [1], [2]. Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu participated in the ceremony to honor the participants [3]. The flight took place on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 [1].
Upon arriving in Lucknow, the farmers participated in a live interaction with the Chief Minister. Adityanath said the farmers are the foundation of the nation's prosperity and emphasized the importance of their role in the state's development journey.
"Our food providers are the foundation of our nation's prosperity," Adityanath said. "It is the duty of all of us to respect the participation and contribution of farmers in the state's development journey" [1].
The government referred to the landowners as "providers of grain" during the felicitation [2]. The ceremony was designed to acknowledge the voluntary nature of the land contributions required to build the facility.
This gesture comes as the Noida International Airport begins commercial operations, marking a transition from the construction phase to active service. The inclusion of women among the honored landowners reflects the diverse ownership of the ancestral plots provided for the project [1].
“"Our food providers are the foundation of our nation's prosperity."”
This event is a strategic effort by the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain positive relations with the agrarian community during large-scale land acquisitions. By treating the farmers as honored guests on the first commercial flight, the administration seeks to frame the loss of ancestral land not as a displacement, but as a patriotic contribution to the state's economic modernization.
