UP okays nutrition mission, free treatment for scribes

Cabinet decides to extend free treatment facility to journalists accredited with the state headquarters at Lucknow

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Monday cleared a slew of proposals including setting up of a nutrition mission, a review of its film policy to attract more production units to the state and free medical treatment for journalists.

"During a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, a proposal to constitute a state nutrition mission was taken to effectively resolve the problem of malnutrition among children," an official spokesman said here.

He said the Cabinet decided to extend free treatment facility to journalists accredited with the state headquarters at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), which was welcomed by Hemant Tiwari, secretary of the UP Accredidated Journalists' Committee.

The Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the existing policy to ensure that UP emerged as an attractive destination for film producers.

It decided to amend by-laws of the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences at Lucknow and nominated the chief secretary as the chairman of its governing body.

The Cabinet also decided to hike the honorarium/fixed monthly salary of advisors in family courts. According to the decision, a payment of Rs 375 a working day or a monthly salary of Rs 10,000, whichever is lesser, will now be handed out, following the hike.

A proposal to pay the beneficiary organisations' share by the government, under the Lohia Integrated Village Development Scheme to set up solar lights in selected villages, was cleared. A proposal was also passed to increase the age limit for retired teachers who are appointed on contractual basis in new government medical colleges, from 65 to 70 years.

Among other decisions, a rebate was okayed on the tax amount of vehicles, which are to be used to transport delegates from New Delhi to Noida during the 46th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank.

It also decided to authorise the Secondary Education Campaign Board to enter into a contract with Intel South Asia regarding training of principals and teachers.