Akhilesh woos voters with slew of announcements

Apparently eyeing Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party government today announced a slew of decision to woo voters like raising the annual income limit for "creamy layer" to Rs eight lakh, a pension scheme that would benefit 40 lakh families and regularising 1.70 lakh ad-hoc teachers.

Giving details of the decisions taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, chief secretary Javed Usmani said that of the 40 lakh families that will benefit under the Rs 500 per month pension scheme, 12 lakh are from from SC/ST, 10 lakh from minorities and 12 lakh from other communities.

He said that as of now it would be launched in rural areas and would be the biggest state sponsored scheme in the country.

He said it was decided to raise the annual family income limit from Rs five lakh to Rs eight lakh for availing reservation facility under Backward Reservation Act 1994.

He said that in 2008 it was decided to include those having an annual income of Rs five lakh in creamy layer, but keeping in view the inflation and other aspects the income limit has been increased.

Eligible families for the pension scheme would be selected in the open meeting of the village panchayats. In the first phase of the scheme prepared on the basis of conditional cash transfer scheme, a pension of Rs 500 per month would be given to the head of the selected family.

He said that if the family maintains positive social behaviour for the next one year, this would be raised by Rs 50 from next year, which would be maximum Rs 250 in five years.

Positive social behaviour means that all children between the age group of 6 to 14 years go to school and their attendance is at least 70 per cent.

The official said that those getting pension under Rani Laxmibai Pension scheme would be given preference under the new scheme.

As promised by the Samajwadi Party during assembly elections, 1.7 lakh shiksha mitras (ad-hoc teaching assistants), who are engaged in teaching work from the last several years, would be absorbed in the regular workforce, the official said.

Usmani said that the programme would be started in the next 10 days.

He said that the excise policy for 2014-15 and 2015-16 was also decided under which renewal system of the liquor vends would be adopted.

He said that for country-made liquor regulated guaranteed quota for the year 2014-15 would be six per cent, whereas it would be eight per cent for the next fiscal.

Usmani said that system of premium vends was conceptualised for sale of liquor in malls, but was being abolished after it proved unsuccessful.

He said that the cabinet has amended rules related to recruitment in Higher Judicial Services Rulebook 1975.