UP Government Hands JPNIC Project to Lucknow Development Authority

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has taken a decisive step by transferring the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) project to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA).

In a meeting held on Thursday, the cabinet dissolved the existing JPNIC Society and mandated that the LDA take over the center's completion, operation, and upkeep. Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna announced that the Rs 821.74 crore already disbursed for the project would be considered a loan to LDA, to be repaid over 30 years.

The JPNIC, initially a vision of former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, has faced obstacles since 2017, including allegations of corruption. The center, dedicated to Jayaprakash Narayan, was intended as a world-class cultural and sports hub. Political tensions have surrounded the project, with accusations of obstructionism directed at the current state government.

(With inputs from agencies.)