he Uttar Pradesh Government has cancelled the public holiday on the death anniversary of Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshiram on October 9. A circular in this regard has been issued to all the district magistrates in the state. The previous Mayawati government had announced October 9 as the public holiday under the negotiable instrument (NI) act.

AIR correspondent reports, the Bahujan Samaj Party decided to organise a grand public rally at Lucknow on the occasion of sixth death anniversary of the party founder Kanshiram. BSP chief Mayawati will address a party rally and likely to make her stand clear about the FDI in retail among other issues.

Uttar Pradesh government has said that it will provide 4 to 5 acres of land free of cost to each Buddhist Monastery at Kapilvastu in Siddharthnagar district for their development.
Addressing a three day long International Buddhist Conclave at Varanasi the Tourism Secretary of the state Manoj Kumar Singh said the State tourism department owns about 100 acres of land at Kapilvastu for the purpose.

Highlighting the nature of Buddhist sites Mr. Singh said that about 10 crore trees will be planted to recreate dense forest land scape at all Buddhists sites across the state within next 2 years. Underlining the need of road connectivity to all Buddhist sites located at Sarnath, Kushinagar, Kapilvastu, Shravasti and Kaushambi he said that all roads connecting Buddhist sites will be four lanes on priority basis. He said that an International Airport will be developed very soon with Public Private Partnership at Kushinagar and above 600 acres of land has been already acquired for the airport.

AIR correspondent reports that the Conclave comes to an end this afternoon after departure of delegates to Bodhgaya in Bihar. During the technical sessions participating States including Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh showcased their Buddhist sites and said several steps have been taken to facilitate the visiting tourists at the sites.

In Uttar Pradesh ruling Samajwadi party government launched unemployment allowance scheme on Sunday at a special programme organized in Lucknow. The Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav distributed cheques to ten thousand five hundred unemployed youth hailing from seven districts of Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Raibareilly and Kanpur Nagar. Under the scheme total allowance of one crore and thirty seven lakh rupees were distributed. The government has decided to give one thousand rupees per month to unemployed youths in the age group of twenty five to forty years having minimum qualification of high school.

Announcement

 The Uttar Pradesh Government has withdrawn criminal cases against 37 more farmers of Tappal block of Aligarh, which were lodged during the Mayawati regime in August 2010. This is the second amnesty given by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the matter as he had already withdrew criminal cases against 24 farmers of Tappal in April this year.

These cases were lodged against farmers, who clashed with the police, in which five persons, including one PAC constable were killed on August 14, 2010.

Quoting official sources, AIR Lucknow correspondent reports that the decision to withdraw cases has been taken in 'public and judicial interest' after an inquiry . According to an official release, the Government came to the conclusion that the clash was not an act of criminal violence because it occurred during an agitation against land acquisition, where farmers were fighting for their rights.

The clash between farmers and police took place when the farmers were holding a demonstration at Jikarpur village of Tappal block demanding high rate of compensation for their land acquired by the state government for the Yamuna Expressway project.

The police allegedly used force to disburse the agitators, leading to clash and police firing, leaving five persons dead which included three children. A similar clash on the same issue also took place later in May 2011 at Bhatta-Parsaul village of Gautambudhnagar (NOIDA), in which four persons, including two policemen died.

 n Uttar Pradesh, 23 special courts have been set up in 5 different districts and all divisional headquarters for quick disposal of cases related with economic offences and food security and adulteration in food grains and spurious medicines.
Quoting official sources our Allahabad correspondent reports that the state law department has set up special courts at Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Bareilly and Meerut district for taking up cases related with economic offences. Similarly special courts have been set up at all 18 divisional headquarters for hearing of cases related with Food and Drug Authority of the state.

 Lucknow bench of Allahabad High court has expressed its displeasure on government's failure to re install the statues of Lord Mahavira and Lord Buddha in Lucknow parks.

The statues were vandalized by an unruly mob on 17th of August. Hearing the case filed by some lawyers, the High Court instructed the state authorities to re install the bigger and better statues of Buddha and Mahavira by 12th of September, the next date of hearing.

The Court has also warned that in case of noncompliance of the order, it will constitute a judicial commission to probe the issue. The Court has also directed the state government to submit the report of action, taken against the vandals. 

Quoting police sources our Lucknow correspondent reports that atleast 67 trouble makers were identified seeing the video footage, of whom 7 have been arrested. Chief Standing counsel IP Singh submitted before the court that government has already sanctioned 24 lakhs Rupees to replace the statues.

 The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to construct a ropeway in Barsana town in a bid to tap the tourism potential of Mathura. A rope way from Barsana to the hillock Bramhachal in Mathura, on which the famous Sri Ji temple situates, is on the cards, local tourist officer said. The consultant has already completed the feasibility report of the project, he said.

Talking to AIR Lucknow correspondent, DG Tourism, Uttar Pradesh, Mr Manoj Singh said that talks are in final stages with Pawan Hans Ltd to provide helicopter services to Vrindavan and Mathura. A helipad has also been constructed in Vrindavan to facilitate Helicopter services from Delhi and other places. He further informed that ropeway construction in Chitrakoot and Vindhyachal in Mirzapur has also been planned to facilitate pilgrims of the two famous religious places for which work will be started soon.

 The 73rd URS of Hazrat Inayat Hasan Shah and 38th URS of Hazrat Rahat Hasan Shah began at Bhaisondi in Uttar Pradesh today. The URS is attracting a large number of devotees and will continue till Monday. Our Lucknow correspondent reports that special prayers were held on the opening day of the URS for peace and prosperity in the country.

Uttar Pradesh says elections to student`s unions in the state universities and colleges will be held as per recommendations of Lyngdoh committee recommendations. An official spokesperson said that as per recommendation of the Committee printed publicity materials, banners and use of loud speakers are banned in the elections.

he Centre has cleared a package to the tune of 45,000 crore rupees for Uttar Pradesh. The package includes release of fresh installments of funds for Centrally-aided projects which are pending due to various reasons, including failure on part of the state
government to provide utilisation certificates. The decision to clear the release of the funds was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Pulok Chatterjee and top officials of the Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Secretary Javed Usmani in New Delhi on Tuesday.

While Uttar Pradesh had demanded the release of funds to the tune of 93,000 crore rupees, the Centre has agreed to release 45,000 crore rupees, which state government officials termed as "no mean(बहुत अच्छा) achievement".

Several installments were stuck due to failure on part of the state government to provide the various Central agencies with utilisation certificates for release of fresh amount.

Sources in the state government said that the entire amount will not be transferred in one go and will be provided in installments.

Some additional funds demanded by Akhilesh Yadav during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in April could be released in the 12th Five Year Plan.

The Supreme Court today quashed a nine-year-long disproportionate assets case against BSP Chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati. The apex court also pulled up the CBI for initiating the probe against her without specific directions from it.

The Court said that the method adopted by the CBI was unwarranted and the agency proceeded against her without properly understanding its orders passed in the Taj Corridor scam.

A Bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam clarified that the Supreme Court order pertained to initiating probe against
state government officials in the scam and there was no such direction to lodge another FIR exclusively against Mayawati for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.

The Uttar Pradesh, Government has made an elaborate action plan to curb Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, AES that are prevailing in the eastern part of the state for past 34 years.  The Japanese Encephalitis occurs due to mosquito bites while AES is caused by the viruses present in contaminated water. Our Gorakhpur correspondent reports that a water testing lab will soon be established in Gorakhpur at the cost of 70 crore rupees while 124 ventilators are being given to the hospitals in the area for better treatment of the disease. Centre has sanctioned an amount of 525 crore rupees for sanitation and providing safe drinking water in 60 encephalitis affected districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Our correspondent reports that Japanese Encephalitis, commonly known as Japanese Brain fever has claimed lives of over 20,000 children during past 34 years. In recent years, water-borne encephalitis has also surfaced which takes the life of adults as well.  The disease has no treatment but only hygiene and safe drinking water can save the lives of the people. In a review meeting in Lucknow yesterday, the chief secretary Javed Usmani instructed the effective implementation of various schemes of sanitation and safe drinking water in the affected area. He has also instructed the medical officers to camp in the affected villages from 15th July to 15th November to supervise the action plan to curb this menace.  Ambulances will be placed at strategic places to rush the encephalitis patients to nearest health centre or referral hospitals.  The number of brain fever cases is bound to come down if the schemes are implemented in a truer sense.

In Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister for Coal, Mr. Sriprakash Jaisawal today laid foundation stone for 1980 Mega Watt power plant at Ghatampur in Kanpur district. This power plant will be constructed under a joint venture of Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited.

Addressing the function on the occasion, Mr. Jaiswal emphasized better infrastructure development for industrialization and to address the issue of unemployment. He said, this project will be completed by 2016 and it will improve the power situation in the state. 

He said it will be the biggest power plant in the state. He assured that farmers will be given adequate compensation for their land acquired for the plant. He also assured that local people would get priority in employment in the plant. 

Responding about availability of coal for nine power projects in the state, he said that coal is not sufficiently available in country but plants from Uttar Pradesh will be given priority. He urged the state government for seeking Coal Block in place of Coal Linkage.

The Chief Minister of the state, Akhilesh Yadav who presided the foundation laying ceremony said that power generation is one of the priorities of the state government. He urged the officials of the concerned departments for completing one of the three units of the plant by 2014.

AIR correspondent reports that about 11088 crore rupees will be spent on the construction of the plant spread over 851 hectare land. The project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure two months earlier. Three units of 660 Mega Watt capacities will be established under the project.

The Centre has accorded approval for Advance Action Proposal to take up the pre-project sanction activities. Power Purchase Agreement has already been signed with the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation.

One of Navratna public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation is based at Tamilnadu and it has recently set up a 250 MW capacity power plant in Bikaner district in Rajasthan. NLC also has its own three pit head Thermal Power Station with 2490 MW capacity at Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.

 The mishap occurred when a bus carrying pilgrims to Ajmer collided head-on with a truck on Gonda-Bahraich road near Chilwaria village and caught fire. 

District Magistrate Kinjal Singh said the bus caught fire possibly due to the explosion of a cooking gas cylinder inside the vehicle. She said a magisterial inquiry had been ordered which will establish the exact cause of the accident. 




Rescuers had used gas-cutters to cut open the twisted metal of the bus to pull out bodies and survivors from inside the vehicle.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has expressed his grief sorrow over the accident and loss of life. 

 He said the Government would insure proper and free of cost treatment to the pilgrims

In Uttar Pradesh the government has fixed a target of above 73 thousand crore rupees for revenue collection from tax and non taxation departments during current financial year.

The Chief Secretary of the state Javed Usmani has directed all the concerned departments for preparing their working plan for collection of taxes as per the target.

He has said for the development and progress of the state resources are required immediately and it could not be possible without funds. 

The chief secretary has said that funds are required for development of basic infrastructure in the different sector including road, power, education, health and drinking water.

AIR Lucknow correspondent reports that the government has directed all the departments that targets for realisation of taxes must be fulfilled and any leniency would not be tolerated.

All concerned Secretaries and departmental heads have been asked for reviewing collection of revenue by their departments on monthly basis. The Chief Minister has also approved the target fixed for revenue collection.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said the open Indo-Nepal border is emerging as a possible ingress point for anti-national elements because of strict vigil on the country's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Speaking at the Internal Security conference of Chief Ministers here, the newly-elected UP chief minister said the 550km-long border with the state requires special policing arrangement to put a check on any possible anti-national activity. Mr. Yadav also demanded an eight fold hike for funds allocated to the state for the modernisation of police from the current 100 crore rupees to 800 crore rupees.
He also demanded 5,000 crore rupees central help for improving the strength of state police. The Chief Minister said the state requires help in advanced non-lethal weapons systems to control riot-like situations. Expressing concern over the growing menace of fake currency, Mr Yadav demanded setting up of a special laboratory in Lucknow or Kanpur to identify such notes.