The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence in Lucknow on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, cleared 23 proposals spanning infrastructure, education, employment, agriculture, healthcare, industrial development, and public welfare. The decisions were briefed to the media by State Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna and Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh.

Chitrakoot Link Expressway Gets Green Light

Among the most significant approvals was a revised proposal for the 15.172-km Chitrakoot Link Expressway — a six-lane, access-controlled greenfield expressway to be built in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode at an estimated cost of ₹1,008.67 crore. The entire expenditure will be borne by the Uttar Pradesh government, and a global tender will be floated to select the construction agency. The project is expected to significantly improve connectivity from Bundelkhand to Chitrakoot Dham, while boosting pilgrimage and regional tourism.

Agniveers to Get 20% Reservation in State Jobs

In a move aligned with the Centre's Agnipath scheme, the Cabinet approved 20 per cent horizontal reservation and age relaxation for former Agniveers in direct recruitment to the posts of Enforcement Constable (Transport) and Jail Warder. Agniveers completing four years of service will be eligible for the reservation within their respective category. Their four-year tenure will count toward maximum age eligibility, with an additional relaxation of up to three years. The overall reservation ceiling will remain within 50 per cent.

The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier extended a similar 20 per cent reservation to former Agniveers in police recruitment. Inducting them as jail warders is expected to strengthen security in facilities housing terrorists and high-profile criminals, given their training and operational discipline.

Farmer Credit, Smart Schools and Industrial Push

Under the Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana, small and marginal farmers will now be eligible for long-term loans of up to ₹6 lakh at an annual interest rate of six per cent through the Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Gram Vikas Bank Ltd. The Cabinet also approved the development of primary schools under the Basic Education Council as smart schools, bringing modern learning infrastructure to students across the state.

On the industrial front, the Uttar Pradesh Toy Manufacturing Promotion Policy-2025 was cleared to promote manufacturing and local employment. The Cabinet additionally approved the establishment of a 120 KLPD ethanol plant at Chhata Sugar Company Ltd in Mathura through a concession-cum-lease arrangement, and an MoU among the state government, the Fisheries Department, and WorldFish for a fisheries project in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Welfare, Security and Urban Development

The Cabinet approved cashless medical treatment for Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, extending the Mukhyamantri PRD Cashless Medical Scheme to Prantiya Rakshak Dal (PRD) volunteers and their dependent family members. PRD duty allowance rates were also revised upward.

For national security, around 65 acres of barren land in Pure Lal Khan village of Milkipur tehsil in Ayodhya will be allotted free of cost to the Centre for an NSG Regional Centre. In urban development, funds were approved for Lucknow, Unnao, and Raebareli under the Mukhyamantri Shahri Vistaarikaran Yojana, along with the completion of a sanctioned high-tech township project in Lucknow.

Other decisions included enhanced financial powers for engineering department officials, exemption from stamp duty and registration fees on lease deeds of up to 10 years, amendments to the policy governing Automated Testing Stations for vehicle fitness, and an additional ₹25 per quintal margin money for fair-price shop dealers based on foodgrain distributed.

What Comes Next

With the global bid for the Chitrakoot Expressway yet to be floated and sectoral guidelines for the toy manufacturing policy still to be notified, implementation timelines will be closely watched. The breadth of Tuesday's approvals — touching infrastructure, farmer welfare, security, and urban growth simultaneously — signals an accelerated policy push ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.