MAS MARRIAGE WIN MINORITY HEARTS
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seems to be striving for an image makeover for his government. Mass marriage for girls belonging to minority communities is one of the plans that the chief minister has come up with to alter the image of his government from being 'hardcore Hindu' to secular.
The plan, which will be implemented soon, will be beneficial majorly to Muslims and the CM hopes that this would make him and his party more appealing to people belonging that community.
State Minister Mohsin Raza said, “The move will straightaway benefit 20 per cent Muslims of the state. Under the scheme, the government will give Rs. 20,000 to each married couple and will bear entire expenses of the marriage.”
Besides Muslims, girls from Christian, Sikh and other minority communities will benefit from the scheme. The mass marriages will take place once a year and and in every district, 100 couples will be selected.
Welcoming the move, Muneer Alam, a Muslim businessman, said this step will make Muslims to have more trust in the chief minister.
EVM V/S BALLOT PAPER
Even as the EVMs versus ballot paper debate is under way, the State Election Commission has urged the central Election Commission to provide new EVMs for the municipal corporation polls in the state which need to be completed before July 14.
If the new EVMs are not provided, the State EC has decided to hold these polls through ballot papers.
State Election Commissioner S.K. Agrawal, in a letter, asked the central body not to send the EVMs made before 2006 as the use of old EVMs invite many questions and controversies.
Meanwhile, the commission has already invited tenders for the ballot papers to be used in these polls.
YOGI'S HI-TECH HEALTHCARE
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has decided to improve healthcare system in the state and as first step, his government has rolled out 150 hi-tech ambulances to deal with emergencies such as heart stroke, respiratory failure and others. Their number of ambulances will go up in future.
The CM said, “These ambulances are important for saving the lives in remote areas of the state devoid of medical facilities and will improve health care system.”
There are over 3,000 basic life support ambulances in the state. However, these advanced, hi-tech ambulances will be crucial in emergency situations.
Health Minister Siddarthnath Singh said, “This is very humble beginning and soon more such ambulances will be added to the fleet.”
NO RELIEF
Former MP and don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed could not get any relief from the Allahabad High Court.
Ahmed had recently filed a petition in the court, challenging the government move to transfer him from Naini Central Jail (Allahabad) to the remote Deoria jail. The court, while rejecting his petition, ruled that the government has the right to keep a prisoner in whichever jail it wishes. A prisoner does not have the right to chose prison of his choice, the court noted.
Recently, the state government has tightened its noose around 40 mafia goons and had shifted them to various jails which are far from their areas of influence and Ahmed was one of them.
