Sops announced for UP youths and Muslims by CM Akhilesh

After being sworn in as chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav announced sops for those believed to have propelled him to power. Sharat Pradhan reports from Lucknow

Within hours of assuming the office of chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday rolled out a hamper of gifts for the youth and Muslims of UP, who together are believed to have propelled him to power by nearly sweeping the recently concluded state assembly elections.

Among other sops, the gift pack has laptops and tablets for young students, unemployment doles for the middle-aged unemployed and a special grant for Muslim girls, which would cost the state exchequer about Rs 22,000 crores over the next five years.

This was followed by an hour-and-a-half long cabinet meeting -- his first one -- that was attended by each of the 19 new cabinet ministers who were sworn in along with Akhilesh earlier during the day.

Briefing mediapersons at the end of the meeting, UP Chief Secretary Anoop Misra said, "All students seeking admission to class XI after clearing high school or the equivalent level from other streams including the Madrasa would be entitled to a tablet computer. Likewise, those clearing Class XII would be given laptops."

According to Misra, "About 25 lakh students were estimated to benefit under each of the two categories every year, costing about Rs 3,000 crores to the state exchequer."

Unemployment allowance, which was given much prominence in the Samajwadi Party election manifesto, will however go only to those above 35 years of age, thereby belying the hopes of lakhs of youth who have been thronging employment exchanges across the length and breadth of the state over the past few days. "The state cabinet has also taken a decision to give unemployment allowance to the educated unemployed above the age of 35 years," Misra said. According to him, "About 9 lakh beneficiaries were already listed under the scheme, requiring an annual financial outlay of about Rs 1,100 crores."

"With a view to encouraging education among Muslim girls the state government has decided to give a special incentive of Rs 30,000 to every Muslim girl who passes Class X and goes for further education," Misra said. The decision would benefit about 1 lakh girls and would put a burden of about Rs 300 crore on the state exchequer.

Significantly, the Akhilesh government has also taken a decision to build boundary walls around all Muslim graveyards. "The estimated expenditure on this was yet to be calculated, since the decision would come into force from next year," said the chief secretary.

As a sop to policemen, the new government has reversed a decision of the previous government to restrict posting of constables, head constables, sub inspectors and inspectors of police in or around their home districts. "As per the new decision, these categories of policemen could now get postings in their home districts," declared Misra.

With a view to strengthening the security systems and improving traffic regulations, the cabinet has also decided to install close-circuit cameras at all major road junctions in the state capital.

Interestingly, on being asked to comment on the first cabinet meeting, Akhilesh's senior-most minister Azam Khan, who had initially tried to create roadblocks in the junior Yadav's path in becoming CM, remarked, "It was a good experience for me to be working with those people who I have seen growing up before my eyes."