The Prayagraj Mela Authority will set up community kitchens in the Aril Mela area. Through this initiative, over 5,000 devotees will be provided free meals daily during the Maha Kumbh Mela. A 2,280 square meter plot of land will be provided for the kitchen, free of cost, on a 30-year lease. This proposal was approved in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday.
The community kitchen will be developed under the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model. This kitchen will not only serve free meals during the Maha Kumbh but also on special occasions throughout the year. The authority will ensure the quality, supervision, and monitoring of the kitchen. Two separate centers will be established for food distribution.
3,000 Buses to Be Purchased
To strengthen the UP Roadways fleet, 3,000 diesel buses will be purchased. A proposal of ₹1,000 crore for this was made in the supplementary budget, which has now been approved by the Cabinet. The Cabinet also agreed to provide free land to the transport department for an interstate bus terminal in Ballia’s Bairia.
₹1,000 Crore for Flood Control Measures
To address the problem of waterlogging in cities during the rainy season or other events, an Urban Flood and Stormwater Drainage Scheme will be launched. The first phase of this scheme will cost ₹1,000 crore. The Cabinet has approved this proposal. Municipal corporations will be eligible for the scheme. The most waterlogged areas in the municipal corporations will be selected for the scheme.
Based on this, a drainage master plan will be created. A state-level apex committee, led by the Chief Secretary, will be formed for monitoring. An administrative coordination committee, headed by the Commissioner, will be established for coordination among various stakeholders. A Program Management Unit will also be set up for managing and operating the scheme.
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