Lucknow,

18 May (HS): A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok

Bhavan on Monday approved the formation of the Uttar Pradesh State Local Rural

Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission to determine Other Backward

Classes (OBC) reservations in the state's three-tier rural bodies. This commission

will examine the social and political backwardness of backward classes to

determine their reservations in Panchayat elections. A total of 12 proposals

were presented at the cabinet meeting, and all were approved.

Giving

information about the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting, Finance Minister

Suresh Kumar Khanna said that in compliance with the order of the Supreme

Court, the state government has approved the formation of the “Uttar Pradesh

State Local Rural Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission” to provide

reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the three-tier Panchayat

elections. The Commission will conduct a contemporary and empirical study of

the status of backward classes in the state, their population, social representation

and participation in Panchayats and will give its recommendations for

determining body-wise proportional reservation.

The

Finance Minister stated that the reservation system in Panchayats is in place

under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1947, and the

Uttar Pradesh Area Panchayat and District Panchayat Act, 1961. Reservation for

backward classes will not exceed 27 percent of the total posts, and if updated

population data is not available, the figures can be determined through surveys.

The Cabinet has approved the formation of the Commission, and its tenure will

normally be six months. The Commission will study data to determine

reservations for OBCs in the state's Gram Panchayats, Area Panchayats, and

District Panchayats and will recommend proportional reservations for each body.

Based on this, the reservation system will be implemented in the upcoming

Panchayat elections.

According

to the Cabinet decision, the Commission will consist of five members, nominated

by the state government. One of these members will be a retired High Court

judge, who will be appointed as the Commission's chairperson. The Commission

will include individuals with knowledge and experience in matters related to

backward classes.

The

government clarified that Article 243-D of the Constitution and relevant Acts

provide for reservation in Panchayats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes,

and Backward Classes. Reservation for Backward Classes will not exceed 27

percent of the total number of posts. The final determination of reservation in

Panchayats will be based on the Commission's report.

The

Yogi cabinet has also approved a new 3x800 MW thermal power project to provide

affordable electricity to the people of Uttar Pradesh. This ambitious 2,400 MW

thermal power project will cost approximately Rs. 38,358 crore (Rs. 38,358

crore). The project will be implemented in Mirzapur through a joint venture

between the state government and NTPC will be installed and operated.

A

state-of-the-art 1010-bed emergency center will be built in Lohia Institute. The

cabinet meeting also approved the construction of a 1010-bed multi-specialty

emergency center hospital, a new OPD block, and a teaching block at the new

campus of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Gomti Nagar

Extension Sector-7, located at Shaheed Path. Finance Minister Suresh Kumar

Khanna said that an amount of Rs 855 crore 4 lakh 34 thousand has been approved

for this ambitious project. Under this ambitious project, a multi-specialty

emergency center hospital equipped with state-of-the-art facilities will be

constructed. It will have a total of 1010 beds. A new OPD block will also be

constructed. A new teaching block with a capacity of 200 seats will be

developed under the project.

Tripartite

MoU approved for Lucknow Metro Phase-1B - The Cabinet meeting approved the

execution of the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the

Central Government, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail

Corporation Ltd. for Lucknow Metro Project Phase-1B East-West Corridor

(Charbagh to Vasant Kunj).

Finance

Minister Khanna stated that the project's DPR had already been approved by the Cabinet.

Now, an approved cost of Rs. 5,801.05 crore has been agreed upon. The central

and state governments will share 50% each in the project. This East-West

Corridor, from Charbagh to Vasant Kunj, will further strengthen the

transportation system in the capital, Lucknow, and provide citizens with modern

and accessible public transportation.

He

said that the cabinet meeting also approved a major gift from the Yogi

government to veterinary students. The internship allowance for veterinary

students was increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000. The cabinet also approved

the Mirzapur pooling substation construction proposal and the transmission line

construction proposal. He said that the implementation of the UP Birth-Death

Registration Rules 2026 and the expansion of Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital were

also approved.

The

state's finance minister stated that the Yogi cabinet approved the land

transfer proposal for the Agra Metro Corridor 2. Also approved were proposals

for the construction of the Agra Metro station and viaduct, amendments to the

2007 securities notification, implementation of the UP Public Service

Commission Amendment Regulations 2026, and the establishment of the Sardar

Patel Apex University in Mirzapur.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi