The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to appoint international sports medal winners, including those who won them in Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, on 24 posts in nine departments of the State.
The State Cabinet also gave its consent to hold the session of the U.P. Legislature from May 23.
Briefing reporters in Lucknow, U.P.'s Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said, “The sportspersons, who have a domicile of Uttar Pradesh, and have won medals in international sports events, will be posted on gazetted posts on 24 posts in nine departments”.
"A committee under the Chief Secretary will select these sportspersons," the minister said.
This will help in developing a sports culture in the state, he added.
The nine departments where these appointments will be made are rural development, secondary education, basic education, home department, panchayati raj department, youth welfare department, transport department, forest department, and revenue department.
Girish Chandra Yadav, Minister of State (independent charge) Sports and Youth Welfare, called the step "historic".
“This will help promote sports in the State, and will give a boost to the sportspersons. The medal winners of the Paralympic Games are also covered under the decision. Similar scheme is currently operational in other states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar,” he said.
Mr. Yadav said the decision will be implemented by September 1.
The posts have been kept outside the ambit of the Public Service Commission by the department of Personnel, the government said in a statement.
Mr. Khanna also said the session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will commence on May 23 and its duration will be decided by the business advisory committee.
In all, 13 proposals were cleared by the U.P. Cabinet.
The State Finance Minister told reporters that Ajay Kumar Mishra has been appointed as the new Advocate General of U.P. Mr. Mishra started practising at the Allahabad High Court in 1981, and for the past 10 years, he is practising at the Supreme Court. In 1995, he became the youngest additional advocate general of the State.
The State Cabinet also gave its approval to the Operation and Management Agreement signed with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for development, operation, and management of smaller airports in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Shravasti, Chitrakoot and Muirpur (Sonbhadra).
“Under the MoU signed with the AAI, we will give ₹7 crore per airport to them. The MoU is for 30 years,” Mr. Khanna said.
