UP govt warns officials over missing MLC names on project plaques

Lucknow: The UP govt issued a fresh warning to the state bureaucracy, warning of disciplinary action against officials who failed to include the names of members of the legislative council (MLCs) on foundation stones and inaugural plaques for development projects.In a recent communication sent to all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries, the principal secretary of parliamentary affairs, JP Singh expressed dissatisfaction over the recurring neglect of established protocols.He said that despite multiple directives issued over recent months, many officials failed to implement these orders "in letter and spirit".The govt made it clear that the era of "gentle reminders" was over. Singh's letter explicitly stated that any future lapses would be met with departmental action under the UP Govt Servants Conduct Rules, 1956."The state govt would be bound to take action against the erring officials in case the directive is not followed in future," the letter said.The move was seen as a fresh bid to maintain parliamentary decorum and ensure proper courtesy was extended to elected representatives. The directive, sources said, focused on ensuring that the names of MLCs were correctly inscribed on foundation stones in their respective home districts.This followed the guidelines laid out in a foundational govt order dated Jan 5, 2024. The state govt reiterated this in Nov last year.The move was seen to strengthen the link between public projects and the representatives serving those regions. An official said that by reinforcing these guidelines, the state aimed to ensure that the contributions and roles of MLCs were publicly acknowledged during the rollout of infrastructure and welfare schemes.The fresh assertion of the UP govt vis-à-vis acknowledgement of public representatives followed reported grievances from several legislators who felt side-lined during high-profile project launches.Sources said that by invoking the 1956 conduct rules, the administration sought to raise the stakes, transforming what was once seen as a courtesy into a mandatory administrative duty.