Rescinding yet another policy of previous BSP Government, the Samajwadi Party Government quashed two decisions of Public Works Department that allowed demolition of Gomti Nagar Stadium and Parikalp Nagar buildings, paving the way for protection of buildings of government and public utility.
The government also announced a new policy for the EWS and lIG housing for the private builders fixing a ceiling on the price to be charged from beneficiaries.
The decisions were taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav here on Thursday.
Briefing media persons, Chief secretary Jawed Usmani said the government has decided to quash both the government orders (GO) of March 26, 2008 and September 26, 2008 issued by the Public Works Department during the previous Mayawati government.
The decision to quash the GOs has been taken on the recommendation of the STA Rizvi Committee report that had called the previous government decisions as anti-people, Usmani said.
It was also decided to identify the government officer, who had filed an affidavit in the court in connection with a writ petition against the demolition, justifying the act of the Government, he said.
Demolition of Gomti Nagar Stadium to allow expansion of B R Ambedkar Memorial as well as of Parikalp Nagar to construct Bodh Vihar Park in the state capital had given bad press to the previous Government.
In another important decision the UP government has made it mandatory for the private builders to reserve 20 per cent of the flats for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and lower Income Group (lIG) people.
While the price of the EWS flats has been fixed at Rs 3.25 lakh, the rate of the lIG would be Rs 7 lakh.
The government also clarified that the family whose annual income is less than Rs 1 lakh would be eligible for the EWS flats and those earning Rs 2 lakh would come under lIG category.
The UP government has decided to implement the eco-senstive zone guidelines adopted by the Centre in 2011 near the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. “It has been decided that 10 wildlife parks in the state would have one kilometer radius eco-sensitive zone prohibiting any type of commercial and industrial use including mining,” Usmani said.
At Nababganj Bird Sanctuary in Unnao, the restriction would be just 100 meters for commercial and industrial activities but for the mining the restriction would be of one kilometer. The Kataucha wildlife Sanctuary at Varanasi, the eco-sensitive zone would be 10 kilometer.
As per the Centre’s guidelines, it had suggested that 10 kilometer radius of the national park and wildlife sanctuary should be declared as eco-Sensitive zone across the country banning any type of commercial, industrial and mining use.
The state government has also given approval to the detailed project report (DPR) made by the DMRC on extension of Metro from Noida to Greater Noida.
The Chief Secretary said a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) would be set up to implement the project costing around Rs 5064 crore. Of the total cost, 20 per cent would be given by the Centre, 20 per cent by the state government and remaining 60 per cent fund would be taken as loan from financial institutions.
Usmani said that 20 per cent share of the UP government would be given by Noida and Greater Noida authorities on the bases of the length of the track in their area.
In another decision, the government has also approved transfer of 50 acres of land of the tourism department to Higher Education department for setting up Sidharth University in Kapilvastu in Sidharthnagar district.
The cabinet also gave its nod for procurement of paddy through Commission agents. The government and provate sectors should have targets and they should try to acheieve the target at the earliest, Chief Secretary said.
The government has also allowed use of funds under SC/ST sub plan for development works where the population of SC/ST is 25 per cent of the total population.
The government has also decided to hand over 1.6 hectare of land owned by PWD to the Railways at tehsil Chunar in Mirzapur district for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. The Government has also approved construction of two transmission lines on PPP model to transmit power generated by lalitpur Power Generation project.
While the first transmission line of 765 KVA would be between lalitpur to Agra, the second one would be between laliput and Agra through Ghatampur, Bhognipur and Bilaur. The government has also approved the power purchase agreement between the lalitpur Power Generation Corporation and UP Power Corporation limited.
The Akhilesh Yadav government also prorogued both the Houses of the state legislature which were adjourned sine die after a four-day-long monsoon session that ended on September 20.