Lucknow: In a landmark Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhawan, the Uttar Pradesh government approved several key proposals aimed at boosting women empowerment, youth digital access, infrastructure, and education.
The session cleared a total of 37 proposals and announced the commencement of the Vidhan Sabha’s Monsoon Session from August 11.
One of the most significant decisions made was the expansion of the stamp duty exemption for women property buyers. Previously limited to properties worth Rs 10 lakh, this exemption has now been extended to properties valued up to Rs 1 crore, offering a 1 per cent reduction in stamp duty. This can translate into savings of up to Rs 1 lakh per property registration in the name of women.
State Labour Minister Anil Rajbhar said that this move targets middle-class women, helping them become property owners, boosting their confidence, financial independence, and social respect.
The policy complements the Mission Shakti initiative and aligns with the Union Government’s recent proposal to reduce stamp duty on property deeds, favouring women.
In an effort to enhance digital empowerment among the youth, the Cabinet approved distributing feature-rich tablets under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Sashaktikaran Yojana.
The tablets, superior to smartphones in screen size, battery life, and multitasking capabilities, will support education, skill development, and job preparedness.
The five-year scheme has a budget allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for the financial year 2025-26 and will be fully funded by the state government without any financial burden on the Centre.
The government also sanctioned the construction of the Chitrakoot Link Expressway, a Rs 939.67 crore infrastructure project to be executed via the EPC model.
The 15.172-kilometre, initially four-lane expressway will connect Bharatkoop in Chitrakoot to Ahmadganj village, linking the Varanasi-Banda National Highway and NH 135 BG.
This expressway is expected to improve regional connectivity and boost tourism in Chitrakoot by providing faster, smoother travel for pilgrims and visitors. The project includes a five-year maintenance period post-construction and is anticipated to generate around 38 lakh man-days of employment.
To align technical education with industry standards, the Cabinet approved a Rs 6,935.86 crore project in partnership with Tata Technologies Limited (TTL) to upgrade 121 government polytechnic institutes. TTL will invest Rs 6,034.20 crore, while the state government will contribute Rs 1,063.96 crore plus an additional Rs 858.11 crore for infrastructure and facilities.
The initiative will establish Tata Technology Excellence Centres to enhance diploma-level education and skill development. The first phase will focus on upgrading 45 polytechnic institutes as a pilot project.
The Cabinet announced that the Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will begin on August 11. This session will comply with constitutional mandates requiring a maximum six-month gap between sessions.
The government plans to present bills to replace ordinances issued after the last session and conduct other vital legislative business.
(IANS)
