With an aim to provide relief to the farmers the Uttar Pradesh government has approved the wheat purchase policy with a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 1,735 per quintal, besides Rs 10 per quintal as transport charges.
The decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting here on Friday which was chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
According to sources the policy would be totally transparent and the farmers would be paid online within 72 hours of their wheat’s sale. The government will purchase wheat from the farmers between April 1 to June 15 and all the purchase centres would be linked online.
In the last fiscal, UP government agencies had procured around 40 lakh ton of wheat. “The wheat purchase centres will be monitored by Commissioner, Food and Civil Supplies.
In the meeting, the UP government also approved a proposal to transfer the social security insurance scheme from the present Institutional finance department to Revenue department.
In another decision, the government has approved a policy for cinema halls and their construction and functioning. Now the licence would be given online within a month of completing all the formalities. The new licence would be given for five years and it would boost the entertainment sector in the state.
In another decision, the cabinet approved a proposal of the industry department to accommodate the employees of UP cement corporation employees in other departments. Earlier, the Supreme Court had given directive to the state to accommodate the employees of the cement corporation in other departments.
The government also approved the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Adarsh Nagar Panchayat scheme in which one panchayat of every district would be developed with a fund up to Rs 4 crore. The government will implement the scheme in two years and the funds would be allotted in two installments. The scheme was announced by the BJP during the Assembly polls.
In the agriculture sector, the government also approved a scheme to honour the sugarcane farmers for their record produce. Three cane farmers would get an award of Rs 51,000, Rs 31,000 and Rs 21,000 for best sugarcane produce, while three sugarcane societies would also be awarded at a state-level function to be attended by the Chief Minister.
Government has also agreed to share 50 per cent cost of construction of eight Rail Over bridges in eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. The total state needs to bear is Rs 32714.48 lakh. The Eastern Freight Corridor will pass through Chandauli, Mirzapur, Allahabad, Kaushambi, Fatehpur, Kanpur , Kanpur dehat, Aurriya, Etawah, Firozabad, Agra, Hathras, Aligarh, Bulandshahar, Ghaziabad, Gautambudh Nagar, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur.
The Kailsah Mansarovar Yatra Bhawan will now be constructed in Indirapuram area of Ghaziabad by the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam. Earlier it was to be constructed at village Arthala in Ghazabiad. “The GDA allotted 9000 sq meter land in Indirapuram where this Bhawan will be constructed at the cost of Rs 4293.59 lakh,” he said.
The cabinet has also given a green signal for setting up of an extension of International Rice Research Centre in Varanasi. This centre will work in collaboration with Iri South Asia Regional Centre.
In another decision Government has decided to take up Ganga Greenery Project under which trees will be planted at the banks of river Ganga in 27 districts comprising 130 blocks. The campaign will start on March 21 on International Forest day and will end on September 16 on World Ozone Day.
“Under this project NGO will be asked to implement one man one tree project and appont Ganga Sewaks who will protect these trees,” the source said.
The cabinet has also approved renovation and construction of civil enclave in three airports of Allahabad, Chaudhry Charan Singh airort in lucknow and Bareilly.
The government has sanctioned Rs 274.41 crore for construction of 500 beded hospital in Gorakhpur besides gave its approvalfor renovation and construction of chambers in Allahabad High Court.