Aiming to promote khadi, the UP government has made it mandatory for the government and state-run public sector organisations to purchase khadi from UP State Handloom Corporation Ltd and UPICA.  However, the UP Police department has been kept out of this. Besides, Lucknow will get two rail overbridges near Sharda Canal on Faizabad Road. The decisions regarding were taken at the Cabinet meeting held in Lucknow on Tuesday.

Sources said that the government had issued orders asking officials of all government departments and state-run public sector undertakings to purchase khadi from UP State Handloom Corporation, UPICA, UP Khadi and Gramodyog Board and Khadi Ashram.

“The decision will help  the cottage industry & weavers, and generate employment. However, the police department has been kept out of this purview,” said the sources.

All purchases have to be made through the GeM portal after verifying the rate and quality of products. “If some department wants to purchase clothes from any other source, it should send the proposal to MSME and after department approves, the CM’s approval is required,” a government source said.

In another decision, the government has approved the proposal to construct two rail overbridges over Lucknow-Barabanki rail line near Sharda Canal. The four-lane RoB will be constructed on the left and right sides of the canal. The total cost of the project will be Rs 235.13 crore plus GST, and the state government will bear the total cost.

The government has also approved projects for maintenance and disposal of sewerage in Shahajahanpur, Bareilly and Moradabad under Amrut scheme. For Shahajahanpur, a STP will be constructed at Rs 377.51 crore while for Bareilly, the government has approved Rs 212.20 crore. The Cabinet has given its assent to sewerage maintenance in Moradabad at the cost of Rs 220.78. All the projects will be completed by March, 2020.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved retrofitting work in Anpara-A (3x210MW) and Anpara-B (2x500MW) thermal projects at the cost of Rs 237.01 crore. It was decided that 70 per cent of the total expenditure would be generated from financial institutions and the rest would be borne by the state government.  

The government has also decided to construct a 765 KV sub-station in Meerut and lay 400 KV and 200 KV lines. The total expenditure is expected to be Rs 239 crore.

The government also amended clauses in Food Processing Policy under which rebate of Mandi Tax has been increased from the existing 5 to 10 years. The tax plus GST will be reimbursed by Food Processing department through its budget.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to bringing bills on water conservation and UP Revenue Act during the ongoing Monsoon session.