UP cabinet revokes facilities to key Mayawati aide

Lucknow, April 27 (IANS) The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh Friday took some major decisions at its third cabinet meeting, including revoking all facilities being provided to former cabinet secretary Shahsank Shekhar Singh, the closest aide of former chief minister Mayawati.

With the change in Service Rules manual, the chief secretary would once again be the secretary to the state cabinet, a post otherwise held by the cabinet secretary in the Bahaujan Samaj Party (BSP) government.

The cabinet also approved the road map and policy for advance purchase of urea and phosphate fertilizers for farmers.

Orders were also issued to make advance arrangements to store the food grains produced in the state.

The state cabinet also approved the recommendations of the Uttar Pradesh Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Board Limited to give revised pay scale, pay band and other perks to its employees. These would be implemented with immediate effect.

New rates for advertisements, as recommended by the state entertainment department, have also been okayed and it has been decided that commercials played on cable television, videos, cinema halls and other digital mediums would also be brought under the purview. This is likely to rake in Rs. 1,100 crores to the state's kitty.

It was also decided to rename the Manyavar Shri Kanshiram Forest, Wildlife and Environment Conservation Prize in the name of war hero and posthumous Paramvir Chakra winner Abdul Hameed.