The Uttar Pradesh government decided on Friday (22 October) to transfer money directly to the bank accounts of the parents of the students studying in Classes 1 to 8 in government and government-aided primary schools for buying uniforms, shoes, socks, sweaters and school bags.

It also decided to provide 80 hectares of land to the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) in the state capital on a token lease rent of Re 1 per year.

The decisions were taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"For uniforms, shoes, socks, sweaters and school bags, the parents of the students from Classes 1 to 8 studying in government primary and aided schools will be given money directly in their accounts. About Rs 1,800 crore will be spent on this," according to an official release issued after the cabinet meeting.

Presently, the uniforms, shoes, school bags are provided to the students through the schools for free.

For carrying forward the scheme, the parents of 1.6 crore students will be provided a total amount of about Rs 1,800 crore through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

In another significant decision, the cabinet gave its nod to giving 80 hectares of land on a token annual lease rent of Re 1 to the DRDO, which will be developing the Brahmos missile in the state.

The land has been identified in Sarojini Nagar tehsil, the release said, adding that investments of over Rs 9,300 crore will be made by the DRDO in the next five to seven years.

It will give jobs to 500 engineers and indirect employment to 1,500 people, the release said.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)