Kanpur Metro DPR approved by UP cabinet

Lucknow, Mar 14: UP Cabinet today approved the detailed project report of the 32 km-long Kanpur Metro project.

It also gave nod to a slew of policies for senior citizens and free-of-cost dialysis facilities for the poor at 18 divisional headquarters of the state.

The Kanpur Metro project, as on August 2015, is estimated to cost Rs 13,721 crore and two corridors have been proposed in it spanning 31 stations, an official spokesman said.

At a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the cabinet approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the metro project prepared by RITES, he said.

It also approved the UP State Senior Citizen's Policy that seeks to safeguard the interests of the aged by setting up old-age homes where 25 per cent seats will be reserved for the BPL category people, the spokesman said.

The government has also decided to increase its share by Rs 100 in the old-age pension following which a revised pension of Rs 400 will be payable from April 1, he said, adding, a helpline will also be set up for the benefit of old people.

Besides imparting literacy to the aged illiterate, the senior citizen's policy also aims at providing modes of entertainment to them.

A senior citizen welfare fund with contributions from private companies, trusts and individuals has also been proposed, which would be tax-free. The fund will initially be set up by the state with a corpus of Rs 5 crore.

The cabinet has also decided to set up dialysis centres under public-private-partnership (PPP) model at all the 18 divisional headquarters to extend free treatment to poor patients suffering from kidney ailments.

As many as 180 hemodialysis machnies will be set up at 18 government hospitals for the purpose, the spokesman said.

PTI