Yogi govt scraps SP's populist schemes
The first ever budget presented by the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has offered a raw deal to Samajwadi Party. Many of the populist schemes introduced by the previous government has been scrapped in the biggest ever annual budget (Rs 3,84,659.71 crore) in the history of the state, which was presented recently. The government decided to do away with many of the flagship programmes of the previous regime, including the laptop distribution scheme, kanya vidya dhan yojana—a scheme for meritorious girls in the state—Samajwadi health insurance scheme and yash bharti samman—a scheme to honour eminent personalities in different fields.
Call to avenge Amarnath killings
There has been widespread resentment in Uttar Pradesh against Amarnath killings. Recently, Agra unit of Bajrang Dal gave a clarion call to avenge the killings of pilgrims. Bajrang Dal leader Govind Parashar said if the killings were not avenged within a fortnight, Bajrang Dal activists will go to Jammu and Kashmir to provide personal security to the pilgrims. The activists of the outfit also staged a protest, brandishing guns and swords. Parashar said the aim of the armed protest was to show their strength and to let others know that “we are capable of dealing with any crisis.” In 2016, when a national flag was burnt in the Valley, Parashar hoisted the tricolour in Lal Chowk in Srinagar. He had also challenged AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother to enter Agra after their acerbic remarks against Bajrang Dal and the VHP.
Maneka Gandhi offers Rs 15 lakh for tiger reserve
To curb tiger attacks in villagers, Women & Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi promised Rs 15 lakh to Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh. The fund will be utilised mainly for construction of an electric fence around the reserve to avoid man-animal conflict. The money will be released to the forest department from MP’s fund soon. The forest area in Pilibhit, which was declared a tiger reserve in 2014, has been in news for frequent man-animal conflicts. According to official figures, since October last, 15 incidents of tigers attacking villagers have been reported. To avoid the attacks, the forest department decided to construct solar-fence around 10km long area of the reserve in the western pat of the forest where most of the recent attacks have taken place.
Hooch crackdown
In the wake of the death of 28 people in Azamgarh district after consumption of illicit liquor, the state government launched a campaign against those involved in the making and sale of illegal liquor. So far, the police have registered as many as 1,722 cases and sent 105 people to jail. According to the state excise department, in the raids that were carried out, distilling equipment which have the capacity to make around 36,000 litres of illicit liquor have been seized. Maximum cases have been registered in Lucknow zone from where over 7000 litres of hooch was seized. Agra stood second with 382 cases.
