Lucknow, July 21: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, convened on Tuesday to approve several significant proposals. The Cabinet has sanctioned two new expressway projects aimed at enhancing road connectivity in the state. Additionally, it has made crucial decisions related to higher education, women’s welfare, transportation, home affairs, cooperation, stamp and registration, and state tax departments. The dates for the Monsoon session of the legislature have also been finalized.
Minister Yogendra Upadhyay provided details on the Cabinet’s decisions, announcing the approval for the construction of a 333-kilometer long greenfield expressway from Prayagraj to Sonbhadra. The estimated cost of this project is approximately ₹26,000 crores. Furthermore, a 117-kilometer long Vindhya-Purvanchal link expressway has also been approved, which will enhance connectivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh by linking with the Purvanchal expressway. This project will incur costs of around ₹9,039 crores, including land acquisition.
The Cabinet has also approved the selection of a developer for the link expressway connecting the Agra-Lucknow expressway to the Purvanchal expressway under the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) mode. Additionally, a proposal for the construction of a 1.18-kilometer diversion on the Purvanchal expressway has been sanctioned. The Cabinet has also approved three significant proposals related to the higher education department, including the Rani Lakshmibai Scooter Scheme, the establishment of research chairs in universities, and the construction of women’s hostels.
The government has decided to implement the Rani Lakshmibai Scooter Scheme starting from the year 2025-26. Under this scheme, the top five percent of female students from all government, aided, and private colleges in the state will be provided with petrol-operated scooters. Priority will be given to students from families of martyrs, the differently-abled, and those without support. A budget of ₹400 crores has been allocated for this scheme, which is expected to benefit around 50,000 female students.
The Cabinet has also decided to establish research chairs in universities and colleges to promote Indian knowledge traditions in line with the National Education Policy 2020. Eligible universities will receive up to ₹2 crores, while colleges will receive up to ₹1 crore in support. This amount will be kept as a fixed deposit (FD), and the interest generated will fund research activities. Institutions that are over 50 years old and have a student capacity of more than 5,000 will be eligible for this scheme. The meeting also approved the construction of a new hostel for 112 female students at Varanasi’s Basant Mahila University, with an estimated cost of ₹2.48 crores.
Additionally, the proposal for a Chief Minister’s labor hostel with a capacity of 500 female students in Varanasi has been approved. In the transportation sector, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation will purchase 220 new buses, with an expenditure of around ₹400 crores on electric buses. The Cabinet also approved ₹20 crores for the operation of the outsourcing corporation’s portal and employee salaries. To strengthen firefighting services, the Cabinet decided to purchase 44 water tankers and five foam tankers.
The government asserts that these vehicles will enhance firefighting capabilities in narrow lanes and difficult areas. The Cabinet has also approved the proposal to convene the Uttar Pradesh legislature’s Monsoon session from August 3 to 6. During this session, the government will present its legislative agenda along with a supplementary budget.
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