The Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to hold a written examination for regularisation of services of 1.37 lakh shiksha mitras as assistant teachers in State-run primary schools. It was also decided to exempt farmers from felling trees on private agriculture land with
some riders.
These and other decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in lucknow on Tuesday.
Adopting the Gujarat policy, the State Government decided to provide subsidy to khadi products in manufacturing units rather than in retail while a fresh assessment would be done on Right To Education (RTE) system under which a quota is fixed for children from poor families for free education.
Government spokesperson and Power Minister Srikant Sharma said the shiksha mitras would be regularised as assistant teachers after they qualified a written examination of 60 marks while 40 marks would be given on their education qualification and teaching
experience.
“Only the teachers who clear Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) will be eligible for appointment as assistant teachers, and the government will follow orders of the Supreme Court in the appointment process for ensuring quality in basic education in the state,” he said.
However, Sharma said that shiksha mitras would be given weigtage of 2.5 marks per year for their service with a maximum of 25 marks.
Minister of State for Primary Education Anupuma Jaiswal said that 1.37 lakh primary teachers would be appointed and the government would follow Supreme Court directions. The apex court had in July set aside the appointment of shiksha mitras as assistant teachers.
The government also decided to amend the Right To Education for Children Rules -2011, framed under provisions of Right to Education (RTE) Act where private schools have to admit 25 per cent of their total strength from poor families. The rules are being amended to cover more children living in the vicinity of private schools.
In another major decision, the UP government has now allowed felling of trees on private agricultural lands with some restrictions and formulated State Forest Policy 2017. Under the policy, rules for felling of trees for use as timber and other commercial purpose have been relaxed.
The government spokesman said that as per the new amended law, people of 62 districts would be allowed to cut trees without obtaining prior approval from forest officials, except for five trees —mango, neem, shaal, mahua and khair. However, the government urged farmers to plant ten trees for each tree cut by them, he added.
“It would also enable farmers to add more income and pave way for the BJP government’s policy of doubling farmer’s income in the next five years,” he said.
Forest Minister Dara Singh said that the total area under forest in the state was quite low at less than 8 per cent and the government had a target to take it to 15 per cent in the next five years.
The state government also decided to change the pattern of subsidy to Khadi products and now would provide 15 per cent subsidy to manufacturing units in the state. Presently the state government was providing 10 per cent subsidy on retail sale of khadi products.
Health minister Sidharth Nath Singh said that the government had fixed a quota of subsidy with the weavers and artisans would get 34 per cent, organisations 33 per cent and the rest (33 per cent) would be shared by marketing companies. The government also decided to demolish 17 abandoned buildings of the UP Police department in 12 districts. While the government would spend Rs 19 lakhs for demolition, it would also earn Rs 1.5 crores from the sale of scrap. The government also decided to provide facility of promotion to workshop and store attendants of Industrial Training Centres from class IV to III.