UP cabinet discusses restructuring of departments

A proposal to restructure government departments according to a NITI Aayog suggestion for better administrative control was discussed at a meeting of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet Tuesday.

However, no decision was taken in this regard.

It was decided during the meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, that more discussion was required on the subject.

"The cabinet has not yet approved the proposal. It will be brought before it again," government spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh said after the meeting.

The Uttar Pradesh government is contemplating reducing the number of departments from around 100 to 57.

Acting on the NITI Aayog suggestion, a committee headed by the additional chief secretary, was set up to study the merger of departments. The panel had submitted its report to the chief minister.

Official sources said according to the report, the departments of family welfare, AYUSH, medical education, maternal and child welfare were proposed to be merged with that of health.

Likewise, basic education, secondary education, higher education, technical education and professional education departments will come under the education department if the recommendations are accepted.

Sugarcane, drought relief, agriculture research and food processing has been proposed to be clubbed with the department of agriculture.

The stamp and registration department, entertainment tax department, weights and measurement department will be brought under the department of revenue as per the report.