Lucknow, Apr 15 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Thursday passed a resolution of felicitation, extending congratulations on behalf of the council of ministers and the people of the state to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Army for the successful execution of Operation Sindoor.

Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor was India's swift retaliatory strike targeting nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). The mission followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 25 tourists and a local were killed in a brutal ambush at Baisaran meadow in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

Speaking at a presser after the cabinet meeting, UP Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said, "The proposal lauded the Indian Armed Forces' successful implementation of Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of India's unwavering commitment to national security and its strong stance against terrorism." The council of ministers hailed the valour and courage of the Indian Army and extended their heartfelt congratulations, he added.

"The entire Uttar Pradesh is proud of our brave soldiers dedicated to the protection of the state," the resolution stated.

The council of ministers also expressed "heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing successful leadership to the nation for the successful implementation of Operation Sindoor", said the minister.

The proposal emphasised that the entire nation stands united against terrorism, asserting that "this operation is a proof of our strength and unity and our collective resolve to protect the country". The resolution further highlighted that the successful operation was made possible only because "our prime minister gave a free hand to the Indian Armed Forces", said Khanna.

According to a press statement, to bolster agricultural self-reliance, the Yogi Adityanath government on Thursday approved the setting up of five state-of-the-art seed parks across UP. These parks, to be developed in phases across five agro-climatic zones, will be named after former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh as a tribute to his contributions to Indian agriculture.

The first of these ambitious projects is slated for construction on 130.63 acres of land at the State Agricultural Area in Attari, Lucknow district, with an estimated investment of Rs 266.70 crore. These cutting-edge facilities will feature advanced infrastructure for seed production, processing, storage, speed breeding and hybrid research, poised to revolutionise the seed sector in the state.

The proposal for the seed parks, along with nine other initiatives, received cabinet approval at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhavan.

Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi informed that the government will offer various concessions to incentivise private investment in these parks.

The land will be leased to seed businesses for 30 years, with an option for extension up to 90 years. The project is anticipated to create approximately 6,000 direct and 15,000 indirect employment opportunities.

Additionally, around 40,000 seed-producing farmers are expected to establish direct links with these parks.

Shahi highlighted that UP, as India's largest agricultural state with 162 lakh hectares of cultivable land, requires approximately 139.43 lakh quintals of seed annually. Currently, the state relies on other states to meet this demand. The new seed parks aim to eliminate this dependency, ensuring the local availability of high-quality seeds at affordable rates.

This improved Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) is projected to significantly boost crop productivity and enhance farmers' incomes. Furthermore, UP is set to emerge as a hub for quality seed production, enabling it to export seeds to other states.

The UP cabinet also approved the construction of 'Panchayat Utsav Bhawan(marriage and event halls) in each rural assembly constituency to enhance community amenities. In the initial phase, 71 such halls will be built with a total allocation of Rs 100 crore.

Each Utsav Bhawan is estimated to cost Rs 1.41 crore, with 60 per cent of the funding from donors and the remaining 40 per cent from the state under the Uttar Pradesh Matri Bhoomi Yojana. A seven-member committee, chaired by the District Magistrate, will identify suitable land for these halls.

Additionally, the Yogi government has approved a proposal to revise the remuneration for contractual employees of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This decision addresses long-pending demands from technical and non-technical staff, including pilots, co-pilots, aviation engineers and operations managers, who were excluded from the benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission.

Khanna said a pilot's salary slabs have been increased from Rs 2.5 lakh-Rs 7 lakh to Rs 5 lakh-Rs 10 lakh, and co-pilot slabs from Rs 1.25 lakh-Rs 6 lakh to Rs 3 lakh-Rs 7 lakh. The current salaries of pilots will also see a 10 per cent hike. This revision will incur an additional expenditure of Rs 5.27 crore for the state exchequer. PTI CDN KSS KSS