LUCKNOW: Call it a coincidence, the UP Cabinet held its first meeting on Tuesday during Navami, the last day of Navaratra, and took nine decisions, some of them also mentioned in the BJP's election manifesto.
Interestingly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also shifted to his official residence -- 5 Kali Das Marg -- during Navaratra itself.
The nine decisions, which the Cabinet took include:
1: Loan waiver to small and marginalised farmers
2: Streamlining purchase of wheat
3: Action on illegal abattoirs
4: Work done by anti-Romeo squad
5: Forming a committee to study the ways and means to protect interests of potato farmers.
6: Industry policy
7: Action on illegal mining
8: Adoption of resolution to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for granting constitutional status to National OBC Commission
9: Establishment of sports complex in Ghazipur," UP Minister Shrikant Sharma said.
However, UP Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh on Tuesday said, "Today is Navami (ninth day of the Navaratra -- a nine day period considered auspicious by Hindus). We have taken nine decisions. It is a coincidence."
After the meeting, Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi exuded confidence that the state government would marshal its own resources, while waiving loans of small and marginalised farmers.
Shekhar Dixit, president of Kisan Manch, also welcomed the move of the Yogi Adityanath government, and lauded the steps taken for the overall development of the state.