Page 9 - Uttar Pradesh

CM Yogi orders expansion of paddy purchase centres to 5k for wider access

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday directed officials to ensure that every farmer arriving at paddy procurement centres is able to sell his produce without inconvenience and receives timely payment directly into his bank account. Reviewing the progress of paddy procurement, the chief minister, according to an official statement, said the pace of purchase should be accelerated, and farmers must not face any hardship at any stage of the process. Officials informed the meeting that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for common paddy this year has been fixed at Rs 2,369 per quintal and for Grade-A at Rs 2,389 per quintal -- an increase of Rs 69 from the previous season. At present, 4,227 procurement centres are operational. Adityanath instructed that the number of centres be increased to 5,000 so that farmers can access the facility closer to their villages and towns. According to officials, by November 30, the state had procured 9.02 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from .

3 children die after fever in UP's Kushinagar; health dept launches probe

Three children of a family have died within 48 hours after coming down with fever in a village here, prompting the authorities to dispatch a team of doctors to the area to test other children for diseases like malaria and dengue, according to officials. Medical reports of the three children who died in Gularhiya Tola village of Nebua Naurangia block are awaited to ascertain the cause of death, the officials said on Saturday. Pintu Gaur's daughter Manju (7) took ill a week ago. She was taken to a local doctor but she did not get better. She was then taken to the district hospital, where she died on Wednesday, according to the officials. Soon after, Gaur's younger daughter Khushi (3) also developed high fever. As her condition deteriorated, she was referred from the district hospital to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, where she died on Friday morning. In a third blow to the family, Krishna (5), the son of Gaur's elder brother Dashrath, also came down with fever. He died while he wa

'Centuries-old wounds healing,' says PM Modi on Ayodhya visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the "wounds and pain of centuries are healing" as India marked the formal completion of the Ram temple here, and used the occasion to draw a broader national roadmap aimed at achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047. Addressing a gathering after hoisting a saffron flag atop the Ram temple to mark the ceremonial completion of its construction, Modi said the moment symbolised a cultural resurgence for the nation. "Today, the entire nation and the world are immersed in Ram. Centuries-old wounds are healing, centuries-long pain is finding closure, as the resolve that burned for 500 years finally reached its fulfilment," Modi said. Calling the flag-hoisting "a unique and divine moment", the prime minister said the sacred flag atop the Ram temple would stand as a testimony to the fact that "truth ultimately triumphs over falsehood". Congratulating all the Ram devotees and those who contributed to the temple's construction, Modi said ...

Ayodhya fills with devotion ahead of PM Modi's flag ceremony at Ram temple

Ayodhya resonated with devotional fervour on Tuesday morning as thousands of devotees streamed into the temple town ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to ceremonially hoist a saffron flag atop the Ram temple, marking the formal completion of its construction. From the crack of dawn, chants of "Jai Shri Ram" echoed across the city as visiting seers and pilgrims termed the hoisting of the temple flag -- a sacred ceremony called "Dhwaj Arohan" -- one of historic fulfilment. Swami Narottamanand Giri, who arrived from Dalmau in Rae Bareli, said, "It is a day of immense fortune. This moment has come after great 'tapasya', and participating in the 'dhwaj arohan' is a matter of deep blessing." Ninety-five-year-old seer Devendranand Giri, who has witnessed the temple movement since its early days, said he never imagined he would see this moment in his lifetime. "At this age, watching the temple stand completed gives me unparalleled joy," he told PTI Videos. Gopal Rao, a special

Oppn making noise over SIR because they have something to hide: UP Dy CM

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday targeted opposition parties, alleging that those creating a furore over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise "have something to hide". Maurya, who served as co-incharge for the BJP in the recent Bihar Assembly elections, said in a post on his official X handle, "The parties making noise over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists have 'something to hide'. Bihar has proved that their position is weak." The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance swept the Bihar Assembly polls with a two-thirds majority, pushing the INDIA bloc to the margins. Opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, have been accusing the government and the Election Commission of manipulating the SIR process. On Saturday, Yadav alleged at a press conference that the BJP government and the Election Commission were conspiring to delete more than 50,000 names from voter lists

UP electricity commission keeps tariffs unchanged for 6th consecutive year

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) on Saturday announced power tariffs for FY 2025-26, keeping rates unchanged for the sixth consecutive year. The decision, officials said, reflects Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's directive to protect consumer interests. As per a press statement, according to the new multi-year tariff regulations (2025), all consumer categories will continue with the existing tariff structure. The UPERC has also fixed a distribution loss trajectory, directing UPPCL to reduce overall losses from 13.78 per cent in FY 24-25 to 10.74 per cent by FY 29-30. The commission said all consumers will benefit from the Green Energy Tariff. The UPERC said only Madhyanchal and Paschimanchal DISCOMs achieved their FY 24-25 loss targets, while Purvanchal DISCOM performed the worst. Subsidies for lifeline consumers, rural scheduled metered households and private tubewells will continue as before. The commission also directed DISCOMs to collect PAN details o

Diesel autos prohibited in Noida, Ghaziabad; phased ban in UP's NCR

Diesel autorickshaws are now banned in Noida and Ghaziabad after the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a phased ban on them across the UP cluster of the National Capital Region (NCR) in a move to curb vehicular emissions, officials said on Saturday. A comprehensive action plan is being rolled out to tackle rising air pollution in districts that are included in the NCR. Baghpat will also enforce a full ban after December 31, 2025. Road dust has been identified as a primary contributor to pollution in the region, with the action plan focusing on road redevelopment, intensified dust suppression and large-scale cleanliness drives, according to a state government release. Diesel autorickshaws will be completely banned with immediate effect in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad districts. The Meerut Regional Transport Authority has already stopped issuing and renewing permits for the restricted vehicles. By December 31 next year, diesel autorickshaws will also be phased out in Meerut, Hap

Magh Mela to host 120-150 mn pilgrims says UP CM; preparation in full swing

The Magh Mela to be held in Prayagraj next year is expected to draw about 15 crore pilgrims, and will cover an 800-hectare area, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday after reviewing preparations on the ground. Adityanath said, "We aim to ensure the Magh Mela is conducted with full grandeur and divinity." Key bathing dates begin early this time. The first "snan (holy dip)" of the Magh Mela will be on Paush Purnima on January 3, while the second will be on Makar Sankranti on January 15, he added. The third holy bath will be on Mauni Amavasya on January 18, the fourth on Basant Panchami (January 28), the fifth on Maghi Purnima (February 1) and the sixth on Mahashivratri (February 15), he said. "We estimate that during one-and-a-half month-long Magh Mela, 12-15 crore pilgrims, including the 20-25 lakh 'kalpvasis', will take part in it," the chief minister told reporters. "Kalpvas" is a month-long Hindu ritual practised by devotees, known as "Kalpvasis", at the

Samriddhi 2025: UP riding high on improved law and order, say top ministers

UP's ministers say improved law and order under the Yogi government has powered rapid growth across sectors-from transport and tourism to health, education and revenue mobilisation

Samriddhi 2025: 'Industry aligning with India's circular economy vision'

At the Business Standard Samriddhi event in Lucknow, industry leaders said India Inc is gradually embracing the circular economy model, noting its potential to curb pollution

Samriddhi 2025: UP's sustained support reflects in high industrial growth

Meshram who heads the animal husbandry department said when it comes to livestock and development of small enterprises in rural parts of the state, Uttar Pradesh is leading a new surge

BS Samriddhi 2025: Uttar Pradesh eyes ₹63K crore excise haul in FY26

Bootlegging curbed, compliance up, liquor industry growing 13-14% annually: State excise min

Samriddhi: UP woos pvt sector in transport, tourism with friendly policies

UP targets a major leap in transport and tourism with private-sector driven bus modernisation, electric mobility, improved law and order, and generous subsidies for hotels and homestays

Samriddhi 2025: Policymakers, experts set to chart UP's $1 trn growth story

Targetting to become a $1 trillion economy by 2030 and a $6 trillion economy by 2047, UP has long shed its erstwhile image of a laggard state

5 more bodies recovered as death toll rises to 6 in UP mine collapse

The police have booked the owner of Krishna Mining Works and his business partners, Madhusudan Singh and Dilip Keshari, both residents of Obra

Case filed against 28 drug dealers in Varanasi for smuggling spurious syrup

A case has been registered against 28 drug dealers, including a father-son duo, in Varanasi for allegedly smuggling codeine-laced cough syrup for intoxication, police said on Monday. They said that an investigation by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department revealed that Shubham Jaiswal, a resident of Prahlad Ghat, Varanasi, and his father, Bholanath Prasad, supplied large quantities of the banned adulterated syrup to 26 Varanasi-based businessmen from their Ranchi-based firm, Shaili Traders. Subsequently, a case was registered on Saturday based on a complaint lodged by Drug Inspector Junab Ali in Varanasi, police said. In the complaint, the drug inspector mentioned that, following the discovery that Shaili Traders had been selling large quantities of codeine-laced cough syrup in various districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi, the 26 Varanasi-based firms were inspected, and several were found to be closed. Calls to the numbers available on the firms' portals were

IRB Infrastructure Trust secures UP highway project for ₹9,270 crore

Following the addition of the TOT-17 project, toll revenue for the IRB Group's portfolio is expected to rise significantly, while the group's asset base will surpass ₹90,000 crore

UP RERA approves six projects worth ₹864 crore across five districts

The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) said it has approved six new real estate projects involving a proposed investment of Rs 863.94 crore across five districts of the state. The approved projects, spread across Bareilly, Kanpur Nagar, Noida, Lucknow and Varanasi, will together develop around 1,470 residential and commercial units, UP RERA said in a statement. According to the authority, Bareilly received approval for two projects, while Kanpur Nagar, Noida, Lucknow and Varanasi were each cleared for one project. The highest proposed investment is in Noida at Rs 444 crore, followed by Kanpur Nagar at Rs 173.64 crore, Lucknow at Rs 136.94 crore, Bareilly at Rs 60.42 crore for its two projects, and Varanasi at Rs 48.94 crore. Most of the projects are residential, while those in Lucknow and Noida are commercial. "The distribution of projects reflects balanced real estate growth across the state and growing investor interest in different regions," UP RERA said i

Opposing Vande Mataram is opposing Mother India: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday asserted that those opposing Vande Mataram are "opposing Mother India". Speaking at a function in Barabanki, Adityanath said Vande Mataram is not associated with any particular form of worship, rather it only shows reverence to 'Bharat Mata'. "Anyone who is opposing Vande Mataram is opposing Mother India. Vande Mataram does not belong to any person, any caste or region. "It does not link a person with any particular form of worship. In fact, it shops reverence to Bharat Mata," he added said. He added, "We have derived strength to take India (Bharat) and Indianness (Bharatiyeta) ahead by worshipping Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Laxmi and Goddess Durga.

Uttar Pradesh govt's growing microfinance kitty at ₹32,500 crore

In the quarter ending September 30, 2025, microfinance institutions (MFI) clocked a growth of almost 4 per cent, with quarterly lending at ₹7,258 crore