On Tuesday, the state cabinet made an important decision regarding the pension scheme for government employees in Uttar Pradesh. The cabinet decided to give employees a one-time option to choose the old pension scheme. This option is available to state government employees, employees of government-aided educational institutions, and employees of autonomous institutions funded by the state government. These institutions have been using the old pension scheme and their finances come from the state government’s consolidated fund.
The employees who are eligible for this option are those who were appointed on or after April 1, 2005, but the advertisement for their appointment was published before March 28, 2005. This is the date when the notification regarding the implementation of the National Pension System (NPS) was issued by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Before this decision, a notification dated March 28, 2005, stated that employees joining the state government’s service, as well as those working in autonomous institutions and government-aided educational institutions, would be covered under the National Pension System if they joined on or after April 1, 2005. This applied to institutions where a pension scheme similar to the current one for state employees is in force, and their finances come from the state government’s consolidated fund.
The central government had already issued orders on March 3, 2023, stating that any central employee who was appointed on or after January 1, 2004, for a vacancy that was advertised by the central government before the notification issued on December 22, 2003, regarding the implementation of the NPS, would be given a one-time option to choose the old pension scheme.
In addition to the pension scheme decision, the cabinet also approved the expansion of the Varanasi, Bareilly, and Moradabad development authorities. This expansion includes the inclusion of revenue villages within these development authorities. The Varanasi Development Authority will see the inclusion of 215 revenue villages, while the Bareilly Development Authority will include 35 revenue villages, and the Moradabad Development Authority will include 71 revenue villages. This expansion aims to promote development in these areas.
Furthermore, the cabinet approved the establishment of integrated manufacturing clusters in Prayagraj and Agra for the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor Project. An agreement was signed between the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust, a central government organization. These manufacturing clusters will contribute to the economic and industrial development of the state.
The cabinet also approved the extension of the aqua metro corridor from Noida Sector 142 to Botanical Garden. This project, estimated to cost ₹2254.35 crore, will involve the construction of an 11.56-km Metro track. The Noida authority will be responsible for constructing this corridor.
Additionally, the cabinet approved the proposal put forth by the high-level empowered committee to provide special facilities and concessions to mega category industrial units. This is part of the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy 2022, which aims to attract investment to the state. The cabinet approved nine companies to receive these benefits, including Kanodia Cement Private Limited, Balaji Wafers, Banaskatha District Cooperative Milk Production Centre, RACL Geartech Limited, ITC Limited, AB Mauri India Private Limited, HL Agro Products Private Limited, and Shri Cement North Private Limited.
Furthermore, the cabinet gave its approval for the transfer of land from the closed UP State Spinning Company Limited and UP State Yarn Company Limited, both located in Kanpur, to UPSIDA for industrial use. This land will be allocated to companies with whom the state government has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during the Investors’ Summit and groundbreaking ceremony for setting up units in the state.
Lastly, the cabinet approved the financial support for the establishment of four centers of excellence under the UP Startup Policy – 2020 (first amendment). These centers of excellence will be set up in the fields of telecommunication at IIT Roorkee (Saharanpur campus) and IIT Kanpur, in the field of blockchain at IIM Lucknow (Noida campus), and in the field of manufacturing at Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College, Ghaziabad.
