Latest news with #AsimArun
India Gazette
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
UP government increases financial assistance under Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 28 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to increase the financial assistance under the 'Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana' from Rs 51,000 to Rs 1 lakh. According to Uttar Pradesh minister Asim Arun, the beneficiaries will be given a 'Sindoor Dani' as a present under the 'Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana', which was also a tribute to the Operation Sindoor conducted by the Indian armed forces in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. 'Under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana, financial assistance of Rs 51,000 was given. The financial assistance of Rs 51,000 has been increased to Rs 1 lakh... Now 'Sindoor Daani' will also be given... Operation Sindoor was launched to avenge the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam', the UP Minister said. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath attended the mass wedding ceremony organised under the CM Mass Marriage Scheme in Gorakhpur. CM Yogi distributed gifts to 1200 newly-wedded couples who were beneficiaries of the scheme. The CM said he cannot attend individual weddings, but for this mass wedding ceremony, he left all the work in Lucknow and came to bless the brides. He added that in these marriages, there is no dowry and no child marriage, also there are no restrictions on caste, region, or religion. Promoting the CM Mass Marriage Scheme, he said, 'As per their rituals, wherever ten or more couples will register their marriages, the administration is ready to support the mass wedding ceremonies.' He further said, 'Before 2017, only Rs 20,000 were offered as support for marriages of SC/ST women. The amount was always delayed and sometimes not even received by the beneficiaries. But today, the bride gets Rs 60,000 in the bank along with clothes and jewellery for the couple.' Addressing the gathering, he added, 'We started the scheme in 2017, at that time we decided Rs 35,000 as the amount, which was later raised to Rs 51,000. Today, this amount has been raised to Rs 1 lakh since April. A good government does development, welfare of the poor, paves the way to the public's prosperity and improves security. We have witnessed change under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Government schemes have uplifted 25 crores nationwide from poverty, while 6 crore people have been uplifted in Uttar Pradesh.' (ANI)
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Embrace potential of people with disabilities: Minister
Lucknow: Minister of state (independent charge), social welfare & SC/ST welfare, Asim Arun on Thursday urged society to move beyond stereotypes and embrace the potential of people with disabilities. Even as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) announced the winners of the inaugural edition of the 'CII award for excellence in disability inclusion' at a prominent hotel in the city, Arun, who was chief guest on the occasion, said, "Economic growth alone cannot define development. Until every individual — regardless of ability — is given equal opportunity, visibility and dignity, we cannot call it real progress. Empowerment comes from enabling independence, not doing things on someone's behalf." He added, "Inclusion isn't a favour — it's a shared responsibility. From designing accessible spaces to building inclusive policies, we must plan with intention. Accessibility should not be an afterthought; it must be embedded in our systems." CM's chief advisor, Awanish Awasthi said, "When we began addressing accessibility, few understood it, and India lacked proper building compliance. Over the last 9-10 years, airports, railway stations, public spaces and institutions became more accessible. We also saw govt efforts to build accessible toilets, but many remain locked or poorly maintained, limiting real use. On a positive note, some companies now employ over 1,000 persons with disabilities, showing great inclusion. " Recognising excellence in disability inclusion, Wipro Limited received the Champion Company award for Disability Inclusion Excellence. Zomato Limited and Vindhya E-InfoMedia Pvt Ltd (MSME) won Best Employer awards for Disability Inclusion & Culture. Amazon Development Centre India, Bengaluru, earned Best Employer for Accessibility. Minda Corporation Limited and Worth Trust were honoured for Inclusive Recruitment. Persistent Systems Limited and EPL Limited received Best Employer awards as Emerging Inclusive Companies. A report, 'Inclusion Insights: Best Practices Report of Award-Aspiring companies' was launched at the event by P Rajasekharan, co-founder of V-Shesh. Principal secretary, backward welfare & empowerment of persons with disabilities & director handicapped, UP, Subhash Chand Sharma said, "We need to build sensitivity across all public-facing systems." Chairperson of CII (UP), Upasana Arora said, "We must build workplaces that take the whole society along."
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Social welfare officer suspended after minister finds hostel switchboards changed only on paper
Lucknow: Taking note of a corruption case in his department, social welfare minister (independent charge) Asim Arun has recommended the suspension of the social welfare officer of Barabanki. The action against DSWO Sushma Verma follows an inspection by the minister during which financial irregularities in the repair and maintenance of a govt-run Scheduled Caste (SC) boys' hostel in Ramnagar surfaced. According to the minister, the hostel received ₹5 lakh for repair works but the site inspection found that 71 switchboards were billed, but were installed, 30 tube lights were shown, but only 6 looked new, 50 bulbs and holders were mentioned, but none were present, and PVC pipe bills were suspiciously submitted in place of lighting materials. The inspection revealed Rs 1.31 lakh in fraudulent billing. "I found clear discrepancies between the bills and actual work done. I ordered immediate suspension of the hostel superintendent and Verma for gross negligence. The embezzled money will be recovered, and legal action will follow," said Arun, who visited the hostel himself. He announced an additional ₹10 lakh for the hostel's upgrade but warned that "every paisa must be spent with complete integrity." "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has released funds to improve hostel infrastructure for the welfare of students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 月 **,***원대 '실비보험' 최적가 비교가입! "月 보험료 낮추고, 보장은 실속있게"… 굿리치 보험대리점 (등록번호:제2006038313호) 가격 받기 Undo Monitoring committees have been set up, and I am personally inspecting hostels. In most places, the work was carried out sincerely. However, in this case, money was fraudulently drawn for work that exists only on paper," he said. Earlier, in Amethi DSWO Manoj Shukla and clerk Gokul Prasad Jaiswal were suspended and an FIR lodged by Gauriganj police after videos surfaced showing them hurling public accusations of corruption at each other. Their video spat went viral on social media. A detailed investigation is underway to determine the extent of corruption and individual culpability.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Old age pensioners can soon submit proof of living for verification through app
Lucknow: The annual verification of old age pensioners is likely to get easier soon, with the social welfare department mulling changes in existing rules where verification is done manually. To streamline the existing system and allow senior citizens to submit proof of living from the comfort of their own homes, the department has proposed the introduction of the Jeevan Praman app , currently being used for govt pensions. Social welfare minister (independent charge) Asim Arun told TOI that in the existing system, the verification is done manually, which often led to discrepancies. It also allowed for manipulation of the system, through which sometimes eligible people were purposely left out while ineligible persons were included. "We are proposing to use biometrics for verification, which will be done through an app or through common service centres (CSC). A presentation on this has been made before the CM, and we are finalising the proposal to present before the Cabinet. This will not just bring transparency to the system but also make it simpler for beneficiaries to avail the services," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How to earn a second salary with $200 [CFD] TradeLG Undo Currently, the social welfare department is in the process of using Family ID data to onboard new beneficiaries. Once the department gets data of eligible persons who are not yet receiving a pension, such persons will automatically be onboarded, but for legal and other reasons, their consent to receiving the pension will be sought. This consent will be given biometrically, either through the app or through CECs, who can also send officials to the home of the beneficiary, if needed. The second use of the app will be for annual verification. Instead of going over to govt offices to provide proof of being alive or having manual intervention, which is open to errors, the biometric verification will once again be done through the app or through CECs. The use of one-time passwords is also being avoided to prevent manipulation of the system, as OTPs can be used by anyone with access to the registered mobile number. An official said that the scheme will first be rolled out as a pilot in around five districts. It will be run for four to five months to assess whether it is working and if any changes are needed. By the end of this year, the scheme will be rolled out across the state and could also be used by other departments for their pension schemes, he said. Lucknow: The annual verification of old age pensioners is likely to get easier soon, with the social welfare department mulling changes in existing rules where verification is done manually. To streamline the existing system and allow senior citizens to submit proof of living from the comfort of their own homes, the department has proposed the introduction of the Jeevan Praman app, currently being used for govt pensions. Social welfare minister (independent charge) Asim Arun told TOI that in the existing system, the verification is done manually, which often led to discrepancies. It also allowed for manipulation of the system, through which sometimes eligible people were purposely left out while ineligible persons were included. "We are proposing to use biometrics for verification, which will be done through an app or through common service centres (CSC). A presentation on this has been made before the CM, and we are finalising the proposal to present before the Cabinet. This will not just bring transparency to the system but also make it simpler for beneficiaries to avail the services," he said. Currently, the social welfare department is in the process of using Family ID data to onboard new beneficiaries. Once the department gets data of eligible persons who are not yet receiving a pension, such persons will automatically be onboarded, but for legal and other reasons, their consent to receiving the pension will be sought. This consent will be given biometrically, either through the app or through CECs, who can also send officials to the home of the beneficiary, if needed. The second use of the app will be for annual verification. Instead of going over to govt offices to provide proof of being alive or having manual intervention, which is open to errors, the biometric verification will once again be done through the app or through CECs. The use of one-time passwords is also being avoided to prevent manipulation of the system, as OTPs can be used by anyone with access to the registered mobile number. An official said that the scheme will first be rolled out as a pilot in around five districts. It will be run for four to five months to assess whether it is working and if any changes are needed. By the end of this year, the scheme will be rolled out across the state and could also be used by other departments for their pension schemes, he said.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
LU's ‘Island of Creative Minds' celebrates intellectual exploration
Lucknow: Lucknow University 's department of psychology and Psyche Hub Club launched ' Insula: The Island of Creative Minds ', a three-day inter-college festival , on Monday. The fest celebrates creativity, intellectual exploration and artistic expression through a variety of competitions like poster making, solo and duet dances, singing, poetry, quiz, reel making, escape room challenges, mono act, scribble, psyche theory, debate, nukkad natak, short films, photography, BGMI, cosplay, and ramp walk contests. The event will also feature major attractions, including talk shows, flash mob performances, theatre acts, a fashion walk, a Sufi evening titled Sufiyana Safar, and a DJ night. Day 1 of the event featured poster making, reel making, dance performances, mono act, and poetry recitations. The day concluded with an engaging talk show by RJ Prateek. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Manchester: Born Between 1940-1975 You May Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo The inauguration ceremony was graced by UP minister of state (independent charge), Asim Arun as chief guest, and Vrinda Shukla, SP, Women and Child Helpline (1090), as the guest of honour. "The future of India depends on the imagination and innovation of its youth. Platforms like Insula empower students to express their talents and ideas, shaping a stronger and more developed nation," said Arun. Shukla said: "Extracurricular activities are crucial for a balanced personality. They help students build confidence and develop skills that will serve them in their personal and professional lives." Vice chancellor Alok Kumar Rai said: "Events like Insula allow students to explore their creativity and intellect in a diverse range of fields, and we are proud to provide them with such opportunities." Dignitaries like pro vice chancellor Manuka Khanna, dean of faculty of arts Arvind Mohan, dean of students' welfare VK Sharma and convenor Manini Srivastava were present on the occasion.
