On banks of Sangam, Yogi Adityanath holds first-ever Uttar Pradesh Cabinet meet in Kumbh Mela

In a first, Yogi Adityanath is holding Cabinet meeting on the banks of Sangam in ongoing Kumbh Mela today. The meeting started at 11 am today, the Uttar Pradesh government is likely to make some major announcements also. "On January 29, the UP Cabinet will be holding its meeting at the integrated command and control centre in Kumbh mela area. The meeting is likely to commence at 10.30 am," Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi was quoted as saying. Adityanath along with his council of ministers will visit Akshayvat and Saraswati Koop. After the meeting, the Yogi Cabinet will also take a holy dip in Ganga.

After the meeting, the entire UP cabinet will go for a darshan of teh Akshay Vat and Saraswati Koop. Later, Yogi Adityanath along with 24 ministers will watch the Vicky Kaushal-starrer Uri at a special screening in a mobile theatre on Kumbha Mela site. 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister @myogiadityanath chairs Cabinet meeting at Prayagraj

📷: ANI

More updates: https://t.co/YerVM3ARMh pic.twitter.com/uRsybooAyY

— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) January 29, 2019

Ardh Kumbh is held in every six years, while the Kumbh Mela comes after 12 years. The Yogi Adityanath government has renamed Ardh Kumbh as Kumbh and the Kumbh as Maha Kumbh. The mela draws tens of millions of pilgrims over the course of approximately 48 days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati river. The congregation includes Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis and pilgrims from all walks of life. In all there are six auspicious bathing dates in this Kumbh - Makar Sankranti (January 15), Paush Poornima (January 21), Mauni Amawasya (February 4), Basant Panchami (February 10), Maghi Poornima (February 19) and Mahashivratri (March 4).

According to the Confederation of Indian Industry, the mega Kumbh Mela is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 1.2 lakh crore for Uttar Pradesh Although the Kumbh Mela is spiritual and religious in nature, the economic activities associated with it generate employment for over six lakh workers across various sectors, CII said in a report. The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for the 50-day Kumbh Mela this time, which is over thrice the budget of the Maha Kumbh in 2013, making the mega pilgrimage perhaps the costliest ever. The hospitality sector aims at employing 2,50,000 people, airlines and airports around 1,50,000 and tour operators around 45,000. The employment numbers in eco-tourism and medical tourism are being estimated at 85,000, says a CII study.

(With PTI inputs)