Key Highlights
- Free LPG refills: Ujjwala beneficiaries will get one free refill each on Diwali and Holi in 2026–27, at a cost of ₹2,142.78 crore.
- Condition: Only beneficiaries with Aadhaar-linked bank accounts and completed Aadhaar authentication will be eligible.
- AC e-buses: 1,725 air-conditioned electric buses in 18 cities, run by private operators on 12-year contracts.
- Jobs push: A skill training and employment scheme across nine zones covering all 75 districts.
- Renaming: Bhadohi district to be renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, approved 39 proposals on Friday. Beyond the headline decision to rename Noida International Airport, several decisions directly affect households, commuters, job seekers and workers.
1. Free LPG Refills on Diwali and Holi
The state will continue giving Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries one free LPG cylinder refill each on Diwali and Holi in 2026–27.
| Refill | Period |
|---|---|
| First (Diwali) | October–December 2026 |
| Second (Holi) | January–March 2027 |
Who is eligible: Only Ujjwala beneficiaries whose bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar and who have completed Aadhaar authentication. The state will spend ₹2,142.78 crore on the scheme.
What to do: If you are an Ujjwala beneficiary, check with your gas agency that your Aadhaar authentication is complete, so you don’t miss the Diwali refill.
2. AC Electric Buses in 18 Cities
1,725 air-conditioned electric buses will run in Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura-Vrindavan, Meerut, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Shahjahanpur, Saharanpur, Varanasi and Noida (including Jewar). Private operators will run them on 12-year contracts.
3. Skill Zones for Jobs at Home and Abroad
The new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Skill Training and Employment Zone scheme aims to make UP a “global manpower hub.” It will cover all 75 districts through nine zones, training youth according to industry demand and linking them to jobs in India and overseas.
4. Bhadohi Gets Back ‘Sant Ravidas’
Bhadohi district will be renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi. The government said it is restoring Sant Ravidas’s name, which was dropped under the previous Samajwadi Party government, while keeping Bhadohi’s historical identity.
5. Three Sarees for Anganwadi Workers
Anganwadi workers and helpers will now get three sarees a year instead of two, benefiting 3,80,290 workers across the state.
Why It Matters: Festive Timing
Several decisions are timed for the festive season. The first free LPG refill falls in the Diwali window, offering relief to lakhs of households at a time when kitchen costs rise. The decisions also come as Uttar Pradesh heads towards Assembly elections in 2027.
The Bottom Line
From free cooking gas to cooler commutes and job training, Friday’s Cabinet decisions touch daily life across Uttar Pradesh. For Ujjwala beneficiaries, the most urgent step is simple: make sure your Aadhaar is linked before Diwali.
With inputs from IANS.
Key Highlights
- Free LPG refills: Ujjwala beneficiaries will get one free refill each on Diwali and Holi in 2026–27, at a cost of ₹2,142.78 crore.
- Condition: Only beneficiaries with Aadhaar-linked bank accounts and completed Aadhaar authentication will be eligible.
- AC e-buses: 1,725 air-conditioned electric buses in 18 cities, run by private operators on 12-year contracts.
- Jobs push: A skill training and employment scheme across nine zones covering all 75 districts.
- Renaming: Bhadohi district to be renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, approved 39 proposals on Friday. Beyond the headline decision to rename Noida International Airport, several decisions directly affect households, commuters, job seekers and workers.
1. Free LPG Refills on Diwali and Holi
The state will continue giving Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries one free LPG cylinder refill each on Diwali and Holi in 2026–27.
| Refill | Period |
|---|---|
| First (Diwali) | October–December 2026 |
| Second (Holi) | January–March 2027 |
Who is eligible: Only Ujjwala beneficiaries whose bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar and who have completed Aadhaar authentication. The state will spend ₹2,142.78 crore on the scheme.
What to do: If you are an Ujjwala beneficiary, check with your gas agency that your Aadhaar authentication is complete, so you don’t miss the Diwali refill.
2. AC Electric Buses in 18 Cities
1,725 air-conditioned electric buses will run in Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura-Vrindavan, Meerut, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Shahjahanpur, Saharanpur, Varanasi and Noida (including Jewar). Private operators will run them on 12-year contracts.
3. Skill Zones for Jobs at Home and Abroad
The new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Skill Training and Employment Zone scheme aims to make UP a “global manpower hub.” It will cover all 75 districts through nine zones, training youth according to industry demand and linking them to jobs in India and overseas.
4. Bhadohi Gets Back ‘Sant Ravidas’
Bhadohi district will be renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi. The government said it is restoring Sant Ravidas’s name, which was dropped under the previous Samajwadi Party government, while keeping Bhadohi’s historical identity.
5. Three Sarees for Anganwadi Workers
Anganwadi workers and helpers will now get three sarees a year instead of two, benefiting 3,80,290 workers across the state.
Why It Matters: Festive Timing
Several decisions are timed for the festive season. The first free LPG refill falls in the Diwali window, offering relief to lakhs of households at a time when kitchen costs rise. The decisions also come as Uttar Pradesh heads towards Assembly elections in 2027.
The Bottom Line
From free cooking gas to cooler commutes and job training, Friday’s Cabinet decisions touch daily life across Uttar Pradesh. For Ujjwala beneficiaries, the most urgent step is simple: make sure your Aadhaar is linked before Diwali.
With inputs from IANS.