Page 16 - Uttar Pradesh

Wheat acreage up 3.18% at 31.2 million ha so far; crop prospects bright

Area sown to wheat has increased by 3.18 per cent to 312.26 lakh hectares (ha) so far in the ongoing rabi (winter) season with higher acreage reported from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, according to the agriculture ministry's data released on Friday. Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja on Thursday had said the crop prospects were bright as the current weather conditions are conducive for plant growth and better yields. Sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, begins in October while harvesting in April. Mustard seed and gram are other major crops sown in the rabi season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). As per the ministry's data, wheat has been sown in 312.26 lakh ha as of December 23 of the ongoing rabi season, as against 302.61 lakh ha in the year-ago period. "Thus 9.65 lakh hectare more area has been covered compared to last year," the ministry said. Higher area is reported from Rajasthan (1.99 lakh ha), followed by Gujarat (1.74 lakh ha), Uttar Pradesh (1.57 la

Rate of agri development must be doubled in UP, says CM Yogi Adityanath

The rate of agricultural development in Uttar Pradesh must be doubled if the state is to become a growth engine and the country's largest economy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday. At a function to mark Kisan Samman Diwas-2022, he also said Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and technology can play a significant role to achieve this aim. Paying tributes to former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh for his welfare works for farmers Adityanath said, "Chaudhary Saheb had stated after independence that emphasis was needed on agriculture and farming within the country if India was to emerge as a big global power. This vision of his is still a guiding light for farmers' welfare in India." According to an official statement, the chief minister inaugurated the exhibition of products of FPOs in Lucknow in addition to awarding and honouring farmers/agri-entrepreneurs and agricultural scientists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a number of programmes as soon as he came

UP to hold roadshows across states to attract domestic investors for summit

The Uttar Pradesh government will hold roadshows in the states to attract domestic industrial groups for its Global Investors Summit to be held next year, according to an official release. The state government recently sent a group of ministers on a global tour to invite foreign investors for the summit and seek investment in the state. The release said that investment commitments of Rs 7.12 lakh crore, including of Rs 4 lakh crore from the UK and the US alone, have been received ahead the Global Investors Summit to be held in February next year. After the return of the group from global tour, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth has directed holding road shows in different states of the country for inviting investors of the country, the release said on Friday. The chief minister reviewed the preparations for organizing the Global Investors Summit with the cabinet members and senior officials on Thursday. A new team should be formed for road shows to be held within the country. Independe

Multi-country roadshows get investment intents worth Rs 7.12 trn for UP

The Uttar Pradesh government has already pulled in investment intents worth Rs 7.12 trillion through the multi-country roadshows held between December 9 and December 19

UP's Sania Mirza set to become country's first Muslim female fighter pilot

Sania Mirza, daughter of a TV mechanic from Mirzapur, has been selected to become a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force and would be the country's first Muslim girl and the state's first IAF pilot

UP govt to make new policy for Covid management: CM amid fresh concerns

The Uttar Pradesh government will formulate a fresh policy for the prevention and management of Covid-19 in consultation with the state-level health advisory committee, CM Yogi Adityanath said

Taj Mahal on alert, no entry for tourists without Covid-19 testing

With surge in Covid cases in China and other countries, one of the most popular tourist attractions of the country Taj Mahal in Agra is put on alert, confirmed the District Health Information Officer

CM Yogi meets entrepreneurs to discuss investment possibilities in UP

A group of Indian entrepreneurs met Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and discussed the possibilities of investment in various sectors in the state, according to an official statement. The delegation, which met the chief minister on Wednesday, also expressed enthusiasm for participation in Global Investors Summit to be held in February next year. "With the aim of increasing the per capita income in the state, it is our endeavour that the country and the world can be benefited from the immense business opportunities available in the state," the statement quoted him as saying. The chief minister said the state government is working on several industrial projects in UP. Industrial development is being carried out through policy-driven governance by formulating around 25 policies to attract investment in various sectors including IT, data centre, defence & aerospace, electric vehicles, warehousing & logistics, tourism, textile, MSME, etc, he said. "Several corrective .

UP madrassa board to discuss changing weekly offs to Sundays from Fridays

The Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board will discuss next month a proposal to change the weekly holiday of madrassas in the state from Friday to Sunday, its chairman Iftikar Ahmed Javed said on Wednesday. The proposal, which came up during a meeting of the government-appointed board on Tuesday, was opposed by the teachers association of madrassas, saying that effecting the change would send out a wrong message. Javed told PTI that Tuesday's meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board was held in connection with making the necessary amendments to 'Uttar Pradesh Non-Government Arabic and Farsi Recognition Administration and Service Regulation - 2016' and was attended by its members and madrassa representatives. During the meeting, it was proposed to change the weekly holiday of madrassas in the state from Friday to Sunday, a long-pending demand of various stakeholders, he said. However, representatives of the teachers association of madrassas opposed the proposal in the

Will remain in SP till last breath 'irrespective of post': Shivpal

Speculation has been rife that Shivpal could be named the leader of the opposition or could be made the state president of the party, but the SP leadership has maintained a silence on the issue

UP complying with 'triple test' formula for OBC quota in ULB polls, HC told

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday told the Allahabad High Court that it is complying with the 'triple test' formula suggested by the Supreme Court to provide OBC reservation in urban local body (ULB) elections. After hearing the arguments of the state government and the petitioners on the matter related to the OBC quota in ULB polls, the Lucknow bench of the high court placed the case for next hearing on Wednesday and also extended the stay on issuing notification for elections till then. A bench of Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Saurabh Lavania passed the order on a bunch of pleas led by Vaibhav Pandey's PIL. On the government's argument, the bench said, "We are in disagreement that the state's mechanism is as good as the triple test formula. We thought that better senses would prevail on the state, commented the bench, expecting that the state government should have said by itself that it would abide by the Supreme Court direction, establishing a "dedicated commission"

UP govt buses to stop plying at night amid rising accidents due to fog

Due to rising fog-related accidents, Uttar Pradesh government buses will stop plying at night, Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh said on Tuesday. Three people were killed and 39 injured in separate accidents amid low visibility due to dense fog in different districts of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Tuesday. "Due to dense fog and rising mishaps, the government has stopped plying of Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses at night. An order has been issued in this regard to regional managers of the corporation," Singh told reporters on sidelines of a programme. He, however, did not elaborate on the new timings of buses. The meteorological office in Lucknow said dense fog is likely to continue for two more days.

Taj Mahal to be 'attached' if ASI fails to pay water, property tax: Agra MC

"Property tax not applicable on monuments. Not liable to pay taxes for water. It could have been sent by mistake," said ASI superintending archaeologist

UP business delegation garners Rs 20,000 crore investments from Singapore

Singapore investors have committed nearly Rs 20,000 crores of investment in Uttar Pradesh in areas such as data centres, logistics services and education following a business promotion delegation visit to the city-state. The investments were committed following a four-day presentation here, which concluded on Monday, by the UP Global Investment Summit (UPGIS) delegation led by State Minister of Jal Shakti and Flood Control Swatantra Dev Singh. Singapore is a partner country in UPGIS to be held from February 10-12, 2023 in Lucknow. Singh and his delegation members held a series of meetings and discussed prospects and collaboration opportunities in their state with Singapore's Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu Hai Yien. It was a very successful trip. The G2G (government to government) engagement was very warm and fruitful, Deepak Kumar, Principal Secretary, Basic Education Department of Uttar Pradesh, told PTI. T

2.5 mt of paddy worth Rs 5,200 cr procured in Uttar Pradesh so far

While the total payables against purchase is to the tune of nearly Rs 5,200 crore, the farmers have already received about Rs 4,000 crore in their registered bank accounts

Sugar output up 5%; mills contract for 4.5-5 mn tonnes exports so far

Sugar production has increased 5 per cent to 82.1 lakh tonnes between October 1 and December 15 period of this marketing year, while mills have contracted to export 45-50 lakh tonnes of sweetener, industry body ISMA said on Monday. Sugar marketing year runs from October to September. The production of sugar stood at 77.9 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the 2021-22 marketing year. "As per port information and market reports, about 45-50 lakh tonnes of contracts for export of sugar have already been entered into so far. Out of that, about 6 lakh tonnes of sugar have been physically exported out of the country up to 30th November," Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said in a statement. Market reports suggest that another 8-9 lakh tonnes of sugar is in pipeline to be exported in December, thereby total exports by the end of this month could be around 15 lakh tonnes. India exported a record 111 lakh tonnes of sugar in 2021-22 marketing year. In November, the government

Small parties in UP likely to join hands with SP for 2024 LS polls

After the Samajwadi Party's victory in Mainpuri bypoll and rapprochement between Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav, small parties in Uttar Pradesh are likely to approach the main opposition party in the state ahead of the 2024 parliamentary polls. Parties like the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), Mahaan Dal, and Janvadi Party (Socialist) had distanced themselves from the SP after its defeat in the 2022 state assembly elections. However, post Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, these political outfits, which had contested the state elections in alliance with the SP, have once again started showing interest in the Akhilesh Yadav-led party. In the recently concluded bypolls in the state, the SP retained the high-profile Mainpuri seat, while the BJP wrested Rampur Sadar assembly seat from it. The SP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) also won Khatauli assembly bypoll by defeating the ruling party. When contacted, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar said, "What are the problems in initiating

UP Jail inmates learn block printing to make scarves, stoles for sale

The inmates of the Fatehgarh district jail in Farrukhabad here are being trained in block printing to make 'Om Namah Shivay' and 'Radhe-Radhe' printed scarves and stoles for sale at religious places across the state. The training is being provided under the BJP government's one district, one product' (ODOP) scheme. Under the training, the jail inmates are being trained to create 'Ramnami patkas', 'dupattas', and 'gamchas' using the block printing technique. The products will be supplied for sale at the religious places across the state including Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura and Chitrakoot. Along with this, these products will also be sold at the Ramnagariya fair to be held on the banks of the Ganga in Farrukhabad. The jail administration will distribute 10 per cent of the income to the inmates and will also be giving them fixed remuneration to them for making the products. Director General (Prison Administration and Reform) Anand Kumar informed that under the ODOP scheme, block pri

UP govt signs pact with Austin University to build Smart City of Knowledge

The Uttar Pradesh government has signed an agreement with the US-based Austin University for the construction of a Smart City of Knowledge in the state, officials said here on Sunday. To be built on 5,000 acres of land at a cost of USD 42 billion, the Knowledge City will include the best universities of the world, accord to an official statement. According to the state, Star Consortium will provide data centre and logistics services in the state while SLG Group will build Capital Data Centre. With these investment proposals and MoUs, thousands of employment opportunities will be available to the people of the state. A target of attracting investments of Rs 10 lakh crore through the Global Investors Summit to be held in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow between February 10-12 has been fixed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Eight teams of ministers and officials are on tour to 18 countries to attract investments through road shows and trade shows. The US-based Saloni Heart Foundati

Before 2017, 'vasooli' was rampant in recruitment, says Adityanath

In a veiled attack on Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said before 2017, the moment any recruitment used to be announced, all the relations mentioned in the "Mahabharata" used to appear for "vasooli". Addressing a programme held here to distribute appointment letters to 1,395 lecturers and assistant teachers, Adityanath said the kind of discrimination and corruption that was prevalent in the state before 2017 is known to all. The moment any recruitment used to be announced, all the relations in the "Mahabharata" used to come out for "vasooli" (recovery), he said. But, in the past five and a half years, we have adopted zero tolerance policy against crime and criminals and the corruption and the corrupt, Adityanath added.