A state cabinet meeting chaired by Yogi Adityanath decided on Tuesday to celebrate January 24 every year as Foundation Day of Uttar Pradesh.
“It is a matter of pride for every state to celebrate its Foundation Day. As UP does not have its prescribed Foundation Day, the Yogi government has decided to celebrate January 24 as UP Diwas,” Health Minister and spokesman Sidharthnath Singh said in lucknow on Tuesday.
Singh said that UP was earlier known as United Province but through a Gazette notification it got its name of Uttar Pradesh on January 24,1950. “So, the cabinet decided to celebrate January 24 as UP’s Foundation Day. This day will be celebrated with fanfare in UP as well as in other parts of the country,| said the minister.
“The state Information department is the nodal department to hold programmes in collaboration with state Culture and Tourism departments. The programmes will highlight state’s culture and traditions and will be an attempt to connect the youths with the state’s tradition,” Singh said.
Interestingly, this proposal was first mooted by Governor Ram Naik, who suggested it to former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to celebrate January 24 as UP Diwas. But the proposal was ignored by Yadav.