The order divided the targeted consumers into four categories – metered, unmetered, energy efficient pumps and farmers in the urban areas receiving metered power supply….reports Asian Lite News
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, has announced a 50 per cent reduction in power tariff on agricultural use.
The move is apparently aimed at assuaging the feelings of farmers ahead of the state elections.
According to the government spokesman, the decision will directly benefit over 13 lakh users in rural and semi-rural areas.
The order, announced by the Chief Minister’s office, divided the targeted consumers into four categories – metered, unmetered, energy efficient pumps and farmers in the urban areas receiving metered power supply.
On metered connections for pumps in rural areas, farmers would be required to pay only Re 1 per unit instead of the existing Rs 2 per unit. The fixed charge of Rs 70 per horsepower (HP) too has been reduced to Rs 35 per HP.
Likewise, in case of unmetered connection, the fixed charge has been reduced from Rs 170 per HP to Rs 85 per HP.
For energy efficient pumps, the electricity rates have been reduced from Rs 1.6 to 83 paise per unit. The fixed charge, too, has been slashed from Rs 70 per HP to Rs 35 per HP.
In case of farmers receiving metered power supply in the urban areas, the electricity rate has been reduced from Rs 6 per unit to Rs 3 per unit. The fixed charge has also been brought down from Rs 130 to Rs 65 per HP.
The Chief Minister’s office said the decision has been taken keeping in view the ‘convenience and prosperity’ of the farmers. The sop will come into effect immediately, a government spokesperson said.
Though Kalyan Singh did not campaign in the 2017 assembly and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections since he was holding a gubernatorial assignment at that time, his presence was palpable in the polls as candidates and leaders rushed to him for advice….writes Amita Verma
The absence of four top political leaders will be sorely felt in the upcoming UP assembly elections this year.
These leaders were not only crowd-pullers for their parties but also represented vote banks that have the capacity of making and marring fortunes.
The biggest loss in these elections will be for the BJP. The party’s best-known face in state politics – Kalyan Singh – is no more.
The former chief minister, who passed away in August last year, was the OBC face of the BJP and commanded respect among the people. He was also a torchbearer of the Ayodhya movement and one of the first faces of Hindutva.
His appeal extended beyond caste lines and his rapport with opposition leaders helped the party in times of crisis.
Though Kalyan Singh did not campaign in the 2017 assembly and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections since he was holding a gubernatorial assignment at that time, his presence was palpable in the polls as candidates and leaders rushed to him for advice.
Another stalwart who is already being missed in this election season is Lalji Tandon who passed away after prolonged illness in July 2020.
Tandon was one of the few leaders in the BJP who rose beyond caste lines and was known for his election management and excellent administrative qualities. He was also the party’s crisis manager who handled the BJP’s turbulent relationship with the BSP.
“He was one leader in the party to whom one could pour out his or her ‘mann ki baat’ in the true sense of the term, and he would listen patiently. Today, the leaders have no time to hear the workers’ problems,” said a minister who requested anonymity.
Despite being a close associate of former Prime Minister, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lalji Tandon was a people’s leader and known to keep an open house where one could walk in without an appointment – a phenomenon no longer seen in state politics.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh, who died in May last year, was the tallest political leader in western UP.
Though his Rashtriya Lok Dal is poised for a revival after the farmers’ agitation, Ajit Singh’s absence is being deeply felt by his party workers.
“He knew all party workers by name and heard every point of view before taking a decision. He was one leader with whom we could even voice dissent on issues and he would listen. This is an extremely crucial election for the party and also for Jayant Chaudhary and we are all missing ‘Chaudhary saheb’, as he was affectionately called,” said a party leader.
The Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, will find it difficult to find an orator as powerful as Mohd Azam Khan, who was also among the party’s star campaigners.
Azam Khan has been lodged in jail since February 2020 on charges that range from statue theft, buffalo theft, goat theft, books theft, land grabbing, encroachment and forgery.
With Azam Khan missing in action, the SP does not have a Muslim face in the upcoming elections and the entire burden of campaigning now rests on the shoulders of Akhilesh Yadav.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi patriarch, will also remain away from the campaign though he may make one or two appearances.
The veteran leader is facing health issues and has been advised to keep away from crowds, especially at a time when Covid cases are surging.
“Netaji (Mulayam Singh) may issue a video appeal for all constituencies and may even address a rally or two if the situation eases during campaigning,” said a source.
As per EC data, the highest number of centurion electors are registered in Aligarh (1,727) followed by Prayagraj (1,413), Azamgarh (1,252), Ballia (1,213), Ghazipur (1,135) and Shahjahanpur (948)….reports Asian Lite News
There are over 39,598 voters in Uttar Pradesh who are above 100 years of age. The Election Commission will be providing them special facilities, including that of postal ballot service, to vote.
The state has a total of 15.02 crore registered voters.
According to the Election Commission official, these centenarian voters will not only be encouraged to cast their vote, but they could also be made local ambassadors to motivate others to take part in the voting process.
Lucknow district election officer, Abhishek Prakash, said, “The EC is offering postal ballot service at homes of voters who are above 80 years. Further, if any senior citizen voters wish to visit a polling booth, our on-duty staff will assist them in every possible way.”
As per EC data, the highest number of centurion electors are registered in Aligarh (1,727) followed by Prayagraj (1,413), Azamgarh (1,252), Ballia (1,213), Ghazipur (1,135) and Shahjahanpur (948).
Sultanpur and Mainpuri ddistrictsrecorded the least number of centurion voters 48 and 61 respectively.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated former two-time 106-year-old MLA Shri Narain a.k.a. Bhulai Bhai, who had represented the Naurangiya Assembly segment, now known as Khadda in Kushinagar.
Political parties also seem considerably enthused about these ‘super-senior voters’.
Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Vaibhav Maheshwari said, “Centenarian voters have seen both colonial and free India. Their opinion in public has huge weightage. Our party will assist such voters to reach the nearest polling booth and vote for change.”
BJP spokesman Harish Chandra Srivastava said, “These voters have immense experience. They have lived under several regimes, and with their vast experience they can often predict the elections results. Also, such voters have a lot of following in their community and families who follow them to polling booths.”
13 Indian startups to pitch their innovative ideas to global investors as part of the India Innovation Hub…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Uttar Pradesh (UP) is set to display its might in the startup ecosystem with as many as 11 startups from the state slated to present their innovative business ideas to global investors at the fourth session of the ‘Elevate’ pitching series on 14th December.
The popular pitching series is a key initiative of the India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai that aims to display unconventional solutions created by 500 Indian startups over the course of five months under the Innovation Hub bus stationed outside the India Pavilion.
UP to go big on startups from India Pavilion
The startups from Uttar Pradesh will showcase their capabilities and present innovative ideas in sectors such as health & wellness, sustainability, agriculture, IT, technology, education, industries and many more. As per the Government of India data, Uttar Pradesh has over 5300 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) out of which over 2600 are women-led.
Some of the startups from UP to participate in Elevate-IV include Life and Limb Pvt. Ltd that provides solution to people with upper limb amputation; Phool, a social enterprise that has pioneered the ‘flowercycling’ technology to reduce pollution in rivers by up-cycling flower temple-waste in India; Atma Nirbhar, a social venture that trains women to ride motorized scooters with the goal of increasing female labour force participation; Farmers Family, providing healthy and quality farm produce directly from farms to consumers and Truck Suvidha, that provides digital infrastructure for the truck industry.
Other startups from UP to be present are Edu Gorilla, AIPL Infrastructure, E-Spin Nanotech, Vymanik Aerospace, Constems AI and Tech Eagle while SOQO, makers of reusable leak-proof underwear for women which they can wear on their periods, is from Madhya Pradesh and Vizara Technologies is from Delhi NCR.
With the introduction of the new ‘Startup Policy 2020’, Uttar Pradesh is aiming to inculcate the culture of entrepreneurship at school level itself to make students learn virtues of entrepreneurship during early years of their education.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has established INR 1000 crore Startup Fund for providing finance to startups. This fund is available in the form of fund of funds wherein the state government will not invest directly into the startups, but rather it will make investment in ‘Daughter Funds’, which would ultimately invest in startups promoting innovative ideas across all sectors in Uttar Pradesh.
India is amongst the top 3 creators of unicorns in the world. Amidst the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, 35 new unicorns have come into existence in India, taking the total number of unicorns to 72. The Indian startup ecosystem currently has over 57,000 startups from 628 districts across all 28 states and eight Union Territories, registered with the DPIIT and it is expanding even further.
Elevate platform provides startups the opportunity to gain knowledge about the global sectoral trends, best practices followed around the world, and get mentoring from sector experts and a networking window to interact with new-age entrepreneurs, innovators and investors.
The first Elevate session saw 10 startups across sectors from the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, pitching their ideas to over 15 investors, while the second session had 13 startups from Telangana presenting their ideas. The third session showcased 10 startups from Karnataka, Kerala and the UAE.
The next Elevate will happen on December 22nd. To participate in the India Innovation Hub series, please visit: https://form.jotform.com/213232304501033
Uttar PradeshChief Minister Yogi Adityanath, through a video message kickstarted the proceedings at the inauguration of UP floor at the India pavilion, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The state of Uttar Pradesh will be showcasing its business attractiveness, sectoral developmental growth journey and investment opportunities across key sectors like food processing, tourism, textiles, MSMEs, healthcare, education and start-up at the India Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai, as the state week commenced from Friday.
Manish Chauhan, Director Industries, Government of Uttar Pradesh, set the objectives of Uttar Pradesh’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai to showcase its growth story and explore areas of collaboration with our investor partners and the diaspora in the UAE. The state has seen tremendous improvement in infrastructure and business environment, under the visionary guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and our dynamic Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he further added.
The chief minister, through a video message kickstarted the proceedings at the inauguration of Uttar Pradesh floor at the India pavilion. He stated that ‘Uttar Pradesh is one of the biggest industrial market. Under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, by following the principle of ‘Reform-Perform-Transform’, the state has taken numerous initiatives to transform its industrial landscape.’
The state launched Nivesh Mitra; one of the largest single window system and sectoral policies, complimented by ideal law & order environment, which helped the state to achieve the 2nd rank in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in 2019-20, in comparison to 14th rank in 2015-16.
He further highlighted the vision & achievements of the state and said: Approximately INR 3.5 lakh crore worth of private investment actualized on-ground, as part of investment outreach; Highest number of MSMEs in the country; Launch of the One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme in 2018 to promote the indigenous craft of each district ;4 functional expressways i.e. Yamuna Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Purvanchal Expressway and Delhi Meerut Expressway. The foundation laying for the Ganga Expressway; one the longest expressway in India, to be done by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 18th December 2021.
Concluding his address, the chief minister said, ‘Despite highest population in India, the state’s effective Covid-19 management and vaccination of 17 crore population is indicator of the preparedness of the administration. He also highlighted the cultural richness of the state, birthplace of Lord Rama and Krishna, land of Lord Shiva and River Ganga, which continue to guide the people.’
K Kalimuthu, Consul (Economic, Trade & Commerce), in his address spoke about Uttar Pradesh being the land of varied cultures, highest registered MSMEs in India, ideal agro-climatic conditions, inspiring youth eager to contribute to the economic growth and nation building. He added, UAE & India had a trade of USD 60 billion pre-Covid and the recent economic partnership will further bolster the bilateral trade.
Cabinet Minister – NRI, MSME & Textile, Shri Siddharth Nath Singh, in his keynote address stated UAE being the 3rd largest trading partner and 9th largest FDI contributor to India, in infrastructure, power, tourism, metallurgical and services sector. Also, the large Indian community based in the UAE is a key contributor in the economic development. He highlighted the achievements of the state and performances indices as the testimony of the highly effective policy driven governance and business environment.
He further added the remarkable growth of the MSME sector in Uttar Pradesh. With ~9 million MSMEs, Uttar Pradesh is the hub of MSMEs in the country, contributing ~14% to the total MSME population in the country. He spoke about the new MSME Act which facilitates operations of MSME units within 72 hours of application, banks loan disbursement worth ~US$ 33 billion to state’s MSMEs, in the last four years (2017-18 to 2020-21) and the aspiration ‘One District One Product (ODOP) Programme’ to develop the indigenous craft & artisans of the state by creating an effective value chain, market linkages and export opportunities. In addition, he highlighted global private sector investment of over ~US$ 59 billion through MoU implementation and dedicated helpdesk, across sectors.
Concluding his address, he stated that Uttar Pradesh is one of the major suppliers of manpower to most of the gulf countries, including UAE. The NRI Department has taken steps like a dedicated recruitment agency – UPFC Overseas Manpower Recruitment Agency (OMRA), to help sourcing employees for potential employers aboard; hosting a ‘Migrant Resource Centre (MRC)’ at OMRA, which is committed to ensure safe and legal migration of UP labour; and setting up ‘UP NRI Grievance Redressal System (GRS)’, a single window to resolve all the issues faced by the diaspora.
Uttar Pradesh high-level delegation will be meetings potential investors and global companies to explore trade and investment opportunities for the state. The delegates from Uttar Pradesh will participate in incubator Meet & Mock Pitching Sessions, panel sessions on ‘India’s Strength in Education: STEM, Medicine and Business’ & ‘Liberal Arts Education in the making of a Global Citizen: The India Advantage’, industry visit to Allanasons Factory in Sharjah & DP World Jabel Ali Port, business meetings with industry associations (Dubai, Sarjah & Abu Dhabi) and many more business and cultural engagements.
Addressing a press conference here on the occasion, Adityanath said that his government had struck at the root of the mafia and paved the way for a safer and secure state….reports Asian Lite News
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the four-and-half years of his government in state was a “memorable” tenure that was devoted to good governance.
Addressing a press conference here on the occasion, Adityanath said that his government had struck at the root of the mafia and paved the way for a safer and secure state.
“We put the criminals in jail, confiscated their properties and not a single communal riot took place in Uttar Pradesh in the past four and a half years. Our priority was security for women an we set up the Anti-Romeo squad, pink booths for women and launched the third phase of Mission Shakti to empower women on all fronts,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that while previous governments built houses for themselves, his government built houses for the poor.
“We have a sense of stability to the state administration unlike previous government that had turned transfers into an industry. We encouraged officers to work better and be more responsive toward the public.”
He said that his government gave jobs to 4.5 lakh youths and set up a transparent system for this, adding that the state rose in ranks on the ease of doing business platform and investments started coming in.
Further listing the achievements of his government, the Chief Minister said that the state hosted the Kumbh Mela, Deepotsav in Ayodhya, Rangotsav in Mathura, Investors’ Summit and the Chauri Chaura Utsav and won accolades for the impeccable arrangements.
Referring to the Ram temple, he said that was fortunate that the construction of the temple began during his tenure.
“Those who kept taunting us with the date of construction of the temple, finally got an answer when the ‘bhumi pujan’ was performed by Prime Minister in August last year.”
Adityanath said that his government had developed places of religious interest into tourist destinations.
“We implemented the National Education Policy and also gave a network of expressways to the state,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that the state’s model of Covid management has been acknowledged not only in the country but also globally.
“We managed to contain the virus with maximum testing and maximum vaccination in the country,” he added.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP’s Central leadership for their guidance and the state organisation and the media for taking his government’s achievements to the people.
