LUCKNOW, July 28 -- As part of his ongoing divisional public representative dialogue series aimed at the holistic development of Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday convened a special meeting with MLAs from Jhansi and Chitrakoot Dham divisions, said a government spokesman, adding the interaction focused on understanding the ground realities, public expectations and development priorities of these regions. During the meeting, Yogi reaffirmed the government's commitment to the development of Bundelkhand, calling it a top priority. He highlighted the spiritual and cultural significance of Chitrakoot Dham, revered as the site of Lord Rama's penance, and Jhansi, symbolising the valour of Rani Lakshmibai. The CM emphasised that the rejuvenation and integrated progress of these regions form the cornerstone of building a 'New Uttar Pradesh'. "The development proposals submitted by the MLAs were thoroughly reviewed. The chief minister directed the PWD and charitable works department (Dharmarth Karya Vibhag) to work in close coordination with public representatives to determine priorities and ensure transparent, timely and high-quality execution of projects," the spokesman said. In total, 1,088 development works have been proposed from the two divisions, with a combined estimated cost of Rs 8,776 crore. These include 691 proposals from the Jhansi division (Jhansi, Jalaun, and Lalitpur), worth Rs 4,901 crore, and 397 proposals from the Chitrakoot division (Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot, and Mahoba), worth Rs 3,875 crore. Among these, Jhansi and Banda districts have emerged as the top contributors in their respective divisions, with works amounting to Rs 1,916 crore and Rs 1,825 crore respectively. The proposed projects encompass a wide range of infrastructure initiatives - road connectivity to block headquarters, inter-district routes, access roads to religious sites, logistics hubs, bypasses, flyovers, ROBs/underpasses, major and minor bridges, road safety measures, irrigation infrastructure, and pontoon bridges. The CM also instructed that proposals aimed at enhancing interstate connectivity in Bundelkhand be prioritised in the first phase, based on recommendations from the MLAs. Additionally, he directed the urban development department to consult local representatives before drafting any project proposals. Underscoring the role of public representatives, Yogi stated that their grassroots understanding is a vital resource for the government. "We are not just formulating schemes - timely, transparent and ground-level implementation is our identity," he said. "We are committed to lifting Bundelkhand out of decades of neglect and integrating it into Uttar Pradesh's journey toward a brighter future." He also urged all public representatives to actively monitor development works in their constituencies and ensure that the implementation aligns with local aspirations....