Air strips to come UP at Moradabad, Chitrakoot

Lucknow, Sep 11 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government today decided to construct two new air strips in Moradabad and Chitrakoot districts at a cost of Rs 31 crore.

The proposal was approved in the state cabinet meeting here, which was chaired by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

While, the Moradabad air strip will be constructed in a nearby small town of Moodhapandey on 52-hectare land at an estimated cost of Rs 21 crore, the Chitrakoot air strip in Bundelkhand region will cost Rs 10 crore.

The contract was earlier given to RITES, but was cancelled and awarded to the UP State Construction Corporation.

Official sources said the contract had been cancelled as RITES failed to began work even after seven months of the award of the contract.

The cabinet also decided to constitute a committee of senior bureaucrats to supervise the purchase of a new helicopter at a cost of Rs 35 crore. The committee will comprise Principal Secretaries of Civil Aviation and Finance Department, besides, senior officials of the Civil Aviation Department.

In a major tax relief to poultry sector, the Cabinet approved a proposal to give the agriculture status to poultry.

Earlier, it was covered by the Industrial Development Act, thus deprived of tax concessions.

In another relief to food processing industry, units investing a minimum of Rs 50 crore have been allowed interest-free loan by the State equivalent to the total trade tax contributed by them in the state exchequer.

Earlier, this facility was admissible to industrial units with minimum investment of Rs 100 crore in sector other than the food industry.

The State has decided to extend the facility of 15 per cent capital subsidy to milk processing units including milk collection centres.

However, this facility will not be available in NOIDA and Greater NOIDA. Only new units commencing production within three years of enforcement of the policy will be able to avail of the benefit.

The cabinet also decided to extend the 'Purchase Preference Policy' by another three years, where the government departments, undertakings and other government-aided bodies have been directed to source all their needs from state PSUs like the UP Khadi Board.

UNI MB VS SI DB1954