LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a `403-crore “Dr B R Ambedkar Murti Vikas Yojana” to beautify, develop and maintain statues of Dr BR Ambedkar across all 403 Assembly constituencies in the state, in what is being seen as a Dalit outreach move.
The scheme, cleared by the Cabinet on Tuesday, will allocate Rs 1 crore per constituency for up to 10 statues. It was announced a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke about installing protective canopies over statues of Dr Ambedkar and other icons across the state.
According to a government spokesperson, instructions have been issued to publicise the scheme in every constituency on April 14, marking the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar.
Under the scheme, statues of Dr Ambedkar and other social reformers, including Jyotiba Phule, Sant Ravidas, Kabir Das and Maharishi Valmiki, installed at public places will be covered and maintained.
“The initiative is aimed at honouring Dr Ambedkar and other icons who worked for uplifting society and ensuring social justice,” government officials said, adding that it would improve public spaces around the statues.
Works such as installation of protective canopies, construction of boundary walls, beautification, greenery and lighting will be undertaken to enhance security and upkeep of these sites. The government has fixed a cap of up to `10 lakh per statue. Officials said standardised design norms would be followed, while also incorporating local art, sculpture and architectural styles. In the first phase, the scheme will cover statues installed up to December 31, 2025.
Briefing mediapersons, Minister Asim Arun said, “The path of development is continuous,” and stressed that the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to honour social justice icons.
Responding to queries on the timing of the move and its possible link to upcoming Assembly elections, State Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said elections are a continuous process and should not be linked to development decisions.