Big decision of Yogi government, 58 districts of UP will get the benefit of Navyug Palika Yojana.

To give impetus to balanced urban development in Uttar Pradesh, ‘Navyug Palika Yojana’ has been approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The objective of this ambitious scheme is to equip those urban bodies with modern facilities, which till now have been left out of schemes like Smart City.

Focus will be on 58 urban bodies

Under this scheme, municipal bodies of 58 district headquarters of the state have been included. These include 55 Municipal Councils, 3 Nagar Panchayats and Dadri Municipal Council of Gautam Buddha Nagar. The special thing is that for the first time, priority has been given to small and medium cities instead of municipal corporations, due to which the benefits of development will reach on a wide scale.

Investment of Rs 2916 crore in 5 years

The state government has set a big budget for this scheme. Rs 583.20 crore will be spent every year, resulting in a total investment of Rs 2916 crore in 5 years (2025-26 to 2029-30). This is a scheme completely funded by the state government, in which there will be no participation of the Centre. With this investment, infrastructure facilities in small cities will be expanded rapidly.

Emphasis on digital governance and smart features

‘Navyug Palika Yojana’ is inspired by the smart city model. Under this, digital governance, e-services and technical solutions will be promoted. Citizens will get online services, faster grievance redressal and transparent administration, which will make government functioning more effective and reliable.

Comprehensive improvement in infrastructure

The main goal of the scheme is to strengthen the infrastructure in urban bodies. Under this, construction of roads, drainage system, clean drinking water, street lighting and development of parks will be done. Besides, public spaces like Utsav Bhawan, Auditorium and Exhibition Center will also be developed, which will promote social and cultural activities.

Steps towards balanced development

Till now, development has been more concentrated in big cities, due to which smaller cities were left behind. Through this scheme, efforts are being made to reduce regional disparities by developing the district headquarters. This will increase employment opportunities at the local level and will give new impetus to economic activities.

Transparent selection and implementation process

Committees will be formed at the district level to select projects, while a state level technical committee will examine them. Projects will be implemented only after getting approval. This will maintain transparency and ensure proper utilization of resources.

Development strategy based on population

According to state Urban Development Minister AK Sharma, the bodies have been divided into two categories on the basis of their population – areas with population of more than 1.5 lakh and areas with population of less than 1.5 lakh. With this, development works can be given priority according to the needs of each city.

Small towns will get a new identity

‘Navyug Palika Yojana’ will not only strengthen the urban structure but will also give a new identity to small towns. This will improve the living standards of the people and will prove to be a strong step towards overall and balanced urban development in the state.

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