Lucknow, April 26: Surcharge on power for farmers has been waived off with immediate effect, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Thursday evening.

Spending the night at a village in Amroha under the Bharatiya Janata Party's Gram Swarajya outreach to villagers, he urged the farmers to cooperate with the state government and in turn get the best from it.

Also announcing the one-time settlement scheme for farmers, the Chief Minister also detailed various schemes of the Central and state BJP governments aimed at benefitting the villages and farmers. 

Adding that mass marriages will be conducted by the state government across the state, he also said that the state government was working on an action plan under which closed factories, projects and industries would be revived so that they can usher in development and create employment. 

At a point, during his address, some youths carrying placards demanded that Urdu teachers be regularized. While police and officials got jitters at this sudden protest, the Chief Minister himself handled the matter, assuring the youth that he was here to address their problems only and hence there was no need to protest. The youth then withdrew their protest.

Pointing out the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop villages, Adityanath said that since his government was taken over, many works had been initiated in this direction.

Underlining how he had given free hand to police to bring criminals to justice and to ensure safety and security to the people, he said that the rule of law had been established in the state and that all-round prosperity would soon be seen by the people.

The Chief Minister also assured the youth present in the gathering that the state government would soon enroll 1.62 lakh people in the police and 1.32 lakh teachers will also be recruited. He announced that the crackdown on graft and corrupt officials will continue and added that properties and assets of such corrupt officials and government employees will be confiscated.

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Tel Aviv: A wave of mass protests swept Israel on Tuesday evening following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The announcement was met with thousands of protesters taking to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, expressing anger over Gallant’s removal amid the ongoing attacks by Israel on Palestine.

Netanyahu stated that the trust between him and Gallant had eroded, asserting, “In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister.” Gallant, however, has been advocating for a temporary diplomatic deal, suggesting that military efforts have laid the groundwork for negotiations to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, a stance differing from Netanyahu’s call for sustained military pressure.

Gallant outlined his differences with Netanyahu, highlighting the need to end military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, the urgency of a hostage deal, and the establishment of an inquiry commission to investigate the political and security lapses surrounding the October 7 attack by Hamas.

Protests intensified following the announcement, with demonstrators blocking Tel Aviv’s main highway, waving Israeli flags, and lighting bonfires. Similar scenes unfolded outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, where police presence escalated, and reports of scuffles emerged as protesters clashed with authorities.

Political leaders across the spectrum expressed shock at the decision, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog remarking that Gallant’s dismissal was “the last thing Israel needs” in this period of conflict.



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