The state of Uttar Pradesh is on a fast-track to sprucing up its rural, agri, education and skill development quotient this month. For starters, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will distribute 20 lakh free gas connections under the Central government’s Ujjwala 2.0 scheme today.
A government spokesperson informed the media: “Under Ujjwala 2.0, migrant workers can avail of a free cooking gas connection just with a self-declaration. They will not be required to submit documents like address proof. The scheme aims to provide deposit-free LPG connections to low-income families who were not covered under the first phase of the scheme.” The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was initially launched by the Prime Minister in May 2016 from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh itself.
The President is Coming
Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind will be on a four-day visit to Uttar Pradesh that starts tomorrow. The President will grace the 9th convocation of the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow on August 26. On Friday, he will unveil a statue of Dr Sampurnanand, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and inaugurate an Auditorium at the Capt. Manoj Pandey Sainik School in Lucknow. On the same day, he will also grace the 26th convocation of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences.
On 28th August, the President will lay the foundation stone for the Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath AYUSH Mahavidyalaya and inaugurate the Mahayogi Gorakhnath Vishwavidyalaya at Gorakhpur. On 29th August, the President will visit Ayodhya by train from Lucknow where he will launch various projects of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the State Government, including renovation and construction of Tulsi Smarak Bhavan and development of Nagar Bus Stand and Ayodhya Dham.
Partnership for sustainable rice production
Corteva Agriscience, the global agriculture company, and the 2030 Water Resources Group have signed a project to promote sustainable rice production in Uttar Pradesh. The project has been conceived to build the capacity of farmers on the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technique of rice cultivation thus enabling sustainable livelihoods for farmers. Corteva will co-lead the project as the technology and knowledge partner for DSR.
This project called ‘Enhancing Landscape level Sustainability for Rice Production in Uttar Pradesh’ provides a framework forCorteva, 2030 WRG and a task force of multiple stakeholders who will work towards transforming 40,000 acres of land from traditional methods of transplanting rice to the DSR technique. This three-year project will promote sustainable livelihood in agriculture, build the capacity of farmers on the DSR technique of rice cultivation through various training programmes, field demonstration sessions, market linkages, market-based sustainability financing and agronomy assistance leading to their socio-economic empowerment.
Through the project, Corteva will also assist farmers with hybrid seeds and mechanized sowing services as well as, help in soil testing and management of weeds and pests on the farms. Applying these practices can lead to 35-37% reduction in water usage in rice farming, better soil health and reduced greenhouse gas emissions (by 20-30%), supporting climate resilient precision agro-forestry in the state.
Skill Rath – CSR partnership with HCL
HCL Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of HCL Technologies, has launched ‘Skill Rath’ in Lucknow to enable the local youth to make informed career decisions. This CSR initiative, under the Skill Development and Livelihoods vertical of HCL Uday, is supported by the Directorate of Training and Employment, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh and will be implemented in partnership with Grey Sim Learnings Foundation.
Skill Rath is furbished as mini–Industrial Training Institutes with equipment to showcase modern and emerging skills like Internet of Things (IoT), drone technology, robotics, 3D printing, etc. The programme will also assess their interest levels and strengths towards a particular job role and then suggest an appropriate career path. Through this CSR initiative, HCLF aims to reach out to over 10,000 young people in and around Lucknow to engage them in skilling activities and counsel them to make the right career choices.
In addition to Skill Rath, the foundation will also support Government ITIs in Lucknow at Aliganj and Mohanlalganj with infrastructure development, training of trainers on newer technologies, and facilitate industry tie-ups, placements, apprenticeships, etc. Complimenting the efforts of Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, they will also encourage the enrolment of girl and students with disabilities at ITIs by recommending them the innovative and future job roles with employment potential.
