RailEnquiry

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of a nine kilometre Metro rail link between Dilshad Garden in New Delhi and the new bus terminus in Ghaziabad. Part of the second phase of Metro expansion in Ghaziabad, the 9.41km link will have seven stoppages and will be constructed at a total cost of Rs 1,591 crore, with part funding of Rs 344 crore by the Centre, Rs 256 crore by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Rs 991 crore by the Ghaziabad Development Authority.In two other important decisions that will boost the information technology industry in the state, the cabinet on Wednesday transferred 150 acres of land for setting up an IT Park in Lucknow. Also giving an in principal approval to UP's new IT Policy, 2012, the cabinet decided that the new policy would focus on skill development and greater employability. The new IT policy also speaks of setting up another IT Park and IT city in Agra, which is to be developed, along with Lucknow, as an IT hub in the state.Earlier, the state government has ordered a revamp of UP's existing IT policy and had hired the services of management consultancy firm KPMG for drafting the new IT Policy. Among major provisions of the policy, the cabinet cleared proposals to offer a 5% interest subsidy to all new industries that are set up in UP and are a part of the IT sector.

In an attempt to attract more industries into the state, the policy has also offered land at a 25% discounted price and special permission from the department of Labour to run IT businesses seven days a week.