To showcase the State’s rich heritage and woo tourists to heritage sites, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod to the heritage tourism policy. An official spokesman said the policy will give a fillip to heritage tourism and would enable the tourists to visit historical forts, palaces, “havelis” and “kothis” in the State. Under the policy, a package for categorising a heritage hotel along with special incentives has been formulated. For setting up a heritage hotel, investors would be given concessions in hospitality tax, entertainment tax, stamp duty , excise licence tax and transport fees, the spokesman said.
Amendments to the Uttar Pradesh Solar Energy Policy, 213 were also approved by the Cabinet, which was presided over by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Accordingly, solar energy plants with a minimum capacity of one megawatt can be set up. Viability would be the criteria for providing State’s assistance to solar energy schemes below the capacity of five megawatt.
For setting up solar power projects in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh) the entire cost of laying transmission lines and building sub-stations would be borne by the State Government.
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Another important Cabinet decision related to the monthly pension of the MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) and DIR (Defence of India Rules) detainees in the State who were jailed during the Emergency from June 25, 1975 to March 21, 1977. The monthly pension called “samman rashi” (honorarium) which was Rs. 3,000 has been raised to Rs. 6,000. . The scheme was started by former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh in 2006, but was discontinued by the Bahujan Samaj Party Government. The increase would be effective from the date of the Government order.