LUCKNOW, Sept. 16 -- The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of smart classes and ICT labs in 14,429 upper primary schools (Rs.2.07 lakh per school). These will be established in schools with high enrolment under the digital initiative programme. These will be developed as smart schools against the approved amount of Rs.300 crore for the implementation of the smart class project. It will be conducted through competitive tendering as per the rules. If the rate per school is lower, the number of primary schools to be covered will be increased against the total approved amount of Rs.300 crore. By establishing smart classes and ICT labs alongside the traditional teaching system in the council primary schools of the basic education department, the students will benefit from updated technical education. The Cabinet also green-lighted the proposal to issue a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the sponsoring body for establishing Sai Global University in Aligarh in accordance with the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019. The Cabinet approved a proposals for long term loans to small and marginal farmers at concessional interest rates under the CM Farmer Prosperity Scheme. Minister for finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said that through the UP Cooperative Village Development Bank Limited, farmers will be provided loans of up to Rs 6 lakh for a long term at an annual interest rate of six percent. This will enable farmers to obtain financial assistance at a lower interest rate for agricultural and rural needs. htc...